Cummins lays out loose timeline for return from injury ahead of Ashes series

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has put a loose timeline on his return to the bowling crease as he attempts to prove his fitness prior to the upcoming Ashes series against England.

Cummins had been battling back soreness since featuring during Australia’s tour of the Caribbean in July and recent scans confirmed a lumbar bone stress to the affected area and a period of rest with no running or bowling diagnosed.

The Australia skipper knows he will need to prove he is ready for the first Test against England in Perth that commences on November 21 and is hoping he can start bowling again between four to six weeks out from the start of the Ashes, as per ICC.

“I’d imagine (I’d want to be bowling) at minimum a month out, maybe six weeks,” Cummins said at a Cricket Australia sponsorship announcement on Wednesday.

“But I’ve not thought that deeply about it yet. It’s still a bit of a wait and see. We’ve got plenty of time, so we’ll map a way back when we get closer.

“At the moment for the next few weeks it’s pretty light. Not much running and zero bowling.”

If Cummins is forced to miss the opening Test then fellow quick Scott Boland looks his most likely replacement, with experienced trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon almost certain to feature.

The reigning ICC World Test Championship runners up also have a group of younger quicks waiting in the wings for their opportunity and Cummins believes Australia are well stocked in the fast bowler department.

“We feel really well placed,” Cummins said.

“A lot of planning goes in. It’s not just a month before, it’s 12 months out.

“Someone like Jhye Richardson hopefully he will be available for some of the summer.

“There’s (Michael) Neser, Brendan Doggett was part of squads last year, Sean Abbott. So I’m really confident in our depth.

“Obviously there is a bit of (Sheffield) Shield cricket and white-ball cricket before that to make sure everyone is up and raring to go.”

More games left in us, says Hazlewood: Veteran Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has clarified that the team is not looking to replace the current experienced pace trio after the conclusion of the home Ashes, emphasising that the bowling attack still has plenty left to offer.

For years, Australia’s pace trio - Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood - have dominated opposition batters. However, as they move into their mid-to-late 30s, the end of a remarkable era appears to be approaching.

Starc, now 35, has already retired from T20Is to focus on extending his Test and ODI careers, with major tournaments on the horizon. As Australia gears up for the home Ashes series, this could mark the final time the legendary trio faces England on home soil, with the next Ashes series in Australia not scheduled for another four years.

“I don’t think we’re in a position now to say anything, but I think you might sit back at the end and have a think about it,” Hazlewood said.

“I think everyone still loves the format of Test cricket. There’s plenty of Tests coming up in the next two years. There’s another cycle of the World Test Championship so there’s a lot of things still exciting about Test Cricket, not just the Ashes. I think we’ve still got a few more games left in us yet.”

Cummins will miss the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand and India as he continues to recover from a lumbar bone stress injury, aiming to be fit for the opening Ashes Test.

Indo-Asian News service