Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the white-ball series against New Zealand and India after scans revealed lumbar bone stress in his lower back, leaving his Ashes 2025 preparation hanging in the balance.
Canberra [Australia], September 2 – In a major blow to Australia’s cricketing hopes, captain Pat Cummins has been sidelined with a lumbar bone stress injury, jeopardizing his long-awaited preparations for the Ashes 2025.
Cummins, who has been the face of Australian pace attack for nearly a decade, will miss the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand and India after scans revealed recurring lower back trouble. This comes at a crucial time as the Ashes kicks off on November 21 in Perth, a series where Cummins was expected to lead from the front.
The setback means Cummins won’t be part of the high-voltage contests featuring Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are both returning to ODI cricket after their Test retirements. Fans were eagerly awaiting the clash of modern-day legends, but Australia will now have to manage without their inspirational leader.
The Australian captain last featured in international cricket during the three-Test series in the Caribbean. However, his bowling workload was unusually light, raising concerns. Since then, he has skipped five T20Is against the West Indies and both white-ball series against South Africa, in what was thought to be a deliberate 10-week recovery window.
But those plans fell apart. After the Windies tour, Cummins experienced back soreness that refused to fade. A scan conducted on Monday confirmed the lumbar bone stress, forcing Cricket Australia to rule him out for the coming months.
“Cummins was rested from the recent T20 series against the West Indies and South Africa. Despite this planned de-load period, he experienced ongoing lower back pain following the West Indies Test tour,” Cricket Australia said in a statement. “Further investigation has identified a level of lumbar bone stress that will require management over the coming months. Cummins won’t be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India and will continue his rehabilitation plan, with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation.”
For Cummins, this is a painful reminder of his early career struggles. Between his debut in 2011 and 2017, he played just one Test match in six years, repeatedly sidelined by stress fractures. Since then, he has been a model of consistency, overcoming minor injuries to deliver over 400 overs annually for three straight years.
Yet, 2025 tells a different story. With just 175.1 overs bowled so far this year, his workload has drastically dropped — a worrying sign for Australia’s Ashes ambitions.
For now, the Baggy Greens will regroup without their talisman, while Cummins focuses on recovery. His comeback will not only determine Australia’s Ashes fortunes but also shape his legacy as one of the modern greats of world cricket.