Ashes 2025-26: Pat Cummins to play the Perth test against England? Australia captain provides massive update on his fitness

Pat Cummins is recovering from a back injury and is highly likely to miss opening game of The Ashes 2025-26.

Australian Cricket Team captain Pat Cummins has provided a massive update about his fitness ahead of The Ashes 2025-26 against England Cricket Team . The 32-year-old pacer admitted that he is less likely to be part of the opening game, which will begin on November 21 at Perth Cricket Stadium in Perth.

Even though the the series, which features five games and which will conclude on January 8, is still far away from now, Australia are mulling over the fitness of captain Pat Cummins. There have been many reports which have claimed that the pacer will miss the first few games if not the entire series.

Pat Cummins has been recovering from lumbar bone stress issues since September, which he suffered during the test series against West Indies in July.

Pat Cummins provides an update on his fitness ahead of Ashes 2025-26

Speaking during Fox Cricket season launch event in Sydney on Monday, October 13, Cummins said that he is less likely to be part of the opening game in Perth. He also revealed that he has started running and will start bowling preparation next week.

“I’d say probably less likely than likely. But we’ve still got a bit of time. I’m running today and running kind of every second day, and each runs a little bit longer, and then we get into bowling prep next week. So I’m probably a couple of weeks away before actually putting on the spikes and bowling out on the turf. But it’s been a good couple of weeks. Each session feels better and better,” he said.

“You’d want probably at least a month in the nets. If you are to play in a Test match, you want to make sure you are right to bowl 20 overs in a day and you don’t have to think about it. Four weeks is pretty tight, but I think somewhere around that mark,” Cummins added.

Cummins also added that he was frustrated at the timing of the injury.

“Some days I’m kind of annoyed because it’s the Ashes, and it’s a big summer and then other days I’m kind of realistic. I’ve had the last seven or eight years of almost uninterrupted home summers, so I felt like I’ve had a really good run as a fast bowler. Someone like Josh [Hazlewood], he’s been a little bit more unlucky, so maybe it’s my turn,” he further said.

Last week, Australia coach Andrew McDonald said that they would be able to confirm Cummins’ presence in the first test after analysing his fitness. If Cummins misses the Perth test, senior batter Steve Smith, who is the vice-captain, will lead the side in the clash. Moreover, pacer Scott Boland will be the logical replacement in the playing XI, joining Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

Meanwhile, Cummins is also not part of the upcoming white-ball series against Indian Cricket Team. In his absence, Mitchell Marsh will lead the side in the ODI series, scheduled to be played from October 19 to 25.

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