The availability of Australian captain Pat Cummins for the imminent Ashes series against England is becoming a pressing concern, according to head coach Andrew McDonald. Cummins is currently undergoing rehabilitation for lumbar bone stress, and McDonald has revealed that the window for his return to play the first Test is rapidly closing.
Recent scans have shown improvement in Cummins’ lower back condition, but McDonald stressed the urgency of the situation. “We are definitely running out of time around that,” he commented, highlighting the limited timeframe before the first Test in Perth. The coach anticipates having a more informed decision by the end of next week, once Cummins has had a chance to test his body with newly introduced training elements.
While the opening Test remains uncertain, McDonald expressed a strong belief that Cummins will be a part of the Ashes campaign. “At this stage there’s no thinking that he will be ruled out for the whole series,” he confirmed. He explained that the recovery from lumbar bone stress is a gradual process, and while fluctuations are possible, the current outlook is positive for his eventual involvement. The coach indicated that planning for a series without their captain for all five matches is not currently being considered, given the positive signs from his recovery.