Australia head coach Andrew McDonald expressed optimism about Pat Cummins’ chances of returning in time for the Ashes opener in Perth despite an ongoing back injury.
Amid doubts over Pat Cummins’ participation in the upcoming 2025-26 Ashes series, Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald has provided a major fitness update on the Test captain. The series is set to begin on November 21 at Optus Stadium in Perth.
According to McDonald, while there are still significant concerns about Cummins’ availability for the first Test, the team remains hopeful he can make a comeback if he resumes bowling in training within the next 10 days.
Cummins has been sidelined due to a back injury that has kept him from bowling since July. He only recently returned to light running sessions earlier this month.
“Myself and Patty have spoken about that type of timeframe. Or else you start to bring in other risk factors. A: You’re not skill-ready, or B: Soft tissue injuries then become a real risk. And if you were to do a soft tissue injury early in a series like the Ashes, then it’s a long way back from where he’s been. So we’ll be mindful of all those risk factors,” McDonald was quoted as saying by ICC.
Despite the uncertainty, McDonald noted that Cummins’ recovery has shown encouraging signs in recent days. “There are some positive signs speaking to Patty over the last few days. He’s a lot more optimistic. Those who have been through this type of injury (say) these things ebb and flow. A couple of weeks ago, did he think he was a chance (to play in Perth)? Potentially not; he was a little bit sore. Then you flip it forward two weeks, and there’s a lot more positivity. We’ve still got a little bit to go,” McDonald said.
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“One of the benefits with Patty is that he has had the ability to prepare for Test matches off shortened preparations. So if it was to be shrunken down, we’d be very confident that he would still be able to perform in the first Test. But the reality is, we’re starting to get tight in terms of the times. We’re still optimistic and hopeful, but this time next week, I think we’ll be in a position to get a better gauge on where he’s at,” McDonald added.
If Cummins fails to recover in time for the opener, Steve Smith is expected to lead Australia in the first Ashes Test, while Scott Boland will likely replace Cummins in the playing XI.
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Last Updated on October 10, 2025
