Australia skipper Pat Cummins has expressed uncertainty over his availability for the Ashes as he continues to recover from a back injury. The fast bowler Pat Cummins admitted he might push himself hard to regain fitness in time for the series but added that he still requires several weeks of rest before resuming bowling.
Pat Cummins will miss Australia’s white-ball contests against New Zealand and India. Chairman of selectors George Bailey remains optimistic that he will recover in time to captain the side. However, the fast bowler Pat Cummins still faces a race against time to regain full fitness ahead of the Ashes opener in Perth this November.
Pat Cummins said his back trouble began during the World Test Championship final against South Africa. He experienced soreness again in the Caribbean, which prompted a first scan that revealed strain. After a month of rest, a second scan earlier this week confirmed the issue still persists.
Amid the debate over workload management creating splits among the cricket experts, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Tuesday took a fresh jibe at Indian ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah faced criticism after he played only three of the five Test matches on the tour of England, citing workload management. In the series, India drew 2-2 under new captain Shubman Gill.
In the meantime, reports arrived that Australian skipper Pat Cummins will not be in action ahead of the Ashes Test series at home against England, which starts on November 21 in Perth. The report also mentioned that Pat Cummins will skip the three white-ball series against New Zealand and India.Pat Cummins has not been in action since the tour of West Indies and missed the T20Is on the tour, and the series against South Africa.
Citing the example of Pat Cummins, while speaking in a discussion organised by Sony Sports Network, the official broadcasters of the 2025 Asia Cup, Pathan lauded the Australian skipper on choosing his assignments in order to stay fit and deliver during crucial series or tournaments.
“Will Pat Cummins manage his workload in Ashes 2025-26” reckons Irfan Pathan while he takes a sly dig at Jasprit Bumrah
The topic of ‘workload management’ in Indian cricket remains a controversial one. While there are some who feel players’ load in modern cricket needs to be managed efficiently because of the amount of cricket they play, others feel service towards the country comes first. Jasprit Bumrah’s case remains one of the most debated ones over ‘workload management’, especially as the marquee pacer often skips international assignments but is always prepared to play the Indian Premier League.
Irfan Pathan, a former India all-rounder, gave Australia skipper Pat Cummins’ example as he launched a scathing attack at Bumrah and head coach Gautam Gambhir over the pacer’s ‘workload management’.
While Pathan isn’t against Bumrah’s workload being managed, he doesn’t understand the point where the pacer has to be rested for all-important assignments like the England Test tour.
“I just have one thing to say, you would have heard recently that Pat Cummins will skip many games to manage his workload for the Ashes. But will Cummins manage his workload during the Ashes? My question is that only. By all means, manage workload, yes. SENA countries are tough places to go and win. There, your main bowlers must play as many games as they can.
During the series, a top series, you will not get the result if you look to manage workload there,” he said during a chat with media in a group call arranged by the Sony Sports Network, the broadcasters of the Asia Cup 2025.
“About the workload, there has been a lot of talk about it. I feel that there are some important players, Jasprit Bumrah or any other fast bowler, you manage everybody’s workload. You should as well and the set-up has been outstanding from BCCI and NCA. The workload is managed really well,” he added.
It was India head coach Gautam Gambhir who had declared before the start of the England tour that Bumrah will only feature in three matches. That is exactly what happened. With his blunt verdict on the workload management call, Irfan also questioned Gambhir’s stance.
Australia will face leadership and bowling concerns if Pat Cummins fails to recover in time for the Ashes. The captaincy can be covered by Steve Smith, who has already stepped in on multiple occasions since 2021. However, the bigger challenge is replacing Cummins’ impact with the ball.
Scott Boland is the frontrunner to replace Pat Cummins in the pace attack. He has taken 62 wickets in 14 Tests at an outstanding average of 16.53. He made his debut against England in 2021 and produced a ten-wicket match against India earlier this year.
However, his opportunities have often come only when Australia’s frontline trio of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood have been unavailable. Pat Cummins’ fitness will need careful management, given his long history of back issues that once kept him out of Test cricket for six years.
The upcoming Ashes starts on November 21 with the series opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth . Pat Cummins’ Australia, the current holders of the Ashes, will face Ben Stokes’ England, which will aim to reclaim the urn on Australian soil.
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