Who will captain Australia if Pat Cummins gets ruled out of The Ashes 2025-26? Revealed

Pat Cummins is recovering from a stress injury in his lower back and is highly likely to miss the first test of The Ashes 2025-26.

Australian Cricket Team captain Pat Cummins is highly likely to miss the opening game of The Ashes 2025-26 due to his back injury. Not only this, but also there are chances that the right-arm pacer can also be ruled out of the entire test series if he is unable to recover from his injury, which he has been battling since September.

Cummins is recovering from a lumbar bone stress in his lower back, which he sustained during the test series against the West Indies. Due to the injury, he was also ruled out of the upcoming white-ball series against India at home, having been replaced by Mitchell Marsh as ODI captain.

According to the latest reports, Cummins has started running but will need more time to commence his bowling practice. With just about a month left for Ashes 2025-26, the time is running out for the Australian skipper to be fit ahead of the much-awaited campaign against England Cricket Team.

Steve Smith to lead Australia in The Ashes 2025-26 if Pat Cummins is ruled out

Cummins’ ouster from The Ashes 2025-26 will be a big blow to Australia and they will need a reliable leader to take the reins of the side in his absence. Speaking to Sydney Morning Herald, Australian chief selector George Bailey confirmed that Steve Smith will captain the side in The Ashes 2025-26 if Cummins misses out.

“If Pat doesn’t play, Smudge [Steve Smith] will captain. That’s business as usual for us. That formula has worked. Steve landed and he was at Cricket NSW the next day batting. So he’ll do his thing. We’ve tried to tailor everyone’s prep to suit them and certain obligations around that, but very comfortably he’ll be ready to go,” Bailey said.

Bailey also added that Cummins will be on the sidelines and guide the team even if he is ruled out of The Ashes 2025-26.

“Regardless of whether he’s playing, Pat’s keen to be around because if he’s not playing he’ll be rehabbing and getting ready and bowling, so he’ll be with the team anyway. That information flow and working together as captain and vice-captain will remain the same,” he added.

Meanwhile, Smith returned from New York last week and has begun his batting practice in the nets at Cricket New South Wales headquarters. The right-handed batter is gearing up to play for New South Wales in the next two rounds of Sheffield Shield 2025-26.

Smith announced his retirement from ODI cricket earlier this year after ICC Champions Trophy 2025. At an average of 51.50 with two centuries and two fifties across six games since the start of this year, Smith has been in wonderful form in tests.

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