Sydney, October 8(HS): In a major setback for Australia ahead of the upcoming Ashes series, captain and pace spearhead Pat Cummins is likely to miss the contest due to a lingering back stress injury. The 32-year-old fast bowler has not fully recovered, and reports suggest he could be ruled out of not just the opening matches but potentially the entire series.

According to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, recent scans revealed that although Cummins has shown improvement, he is still not fit enough to resume bowling. With the five-Test Ashes series against England scheduled to begin on November 21, his absence appears almost certain for at least the early fixtures.

In Cummins’ absence, senior batter Steve Smith is expected to take charge of the Test side once again. Cummins last featured in July during Australia’s 3–0 Test series win over West Indies. Since then, he has missed the limited-overs series against South Africa and New Zealand, and will also sit out the upcoming India tour featuring ODIs and T20I.

Selectors are reportedly considering Scott Boland as Cummins’ replacement for the Ashes squad. Boland is tipped to join Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as part of the Australian pace attack.Australia has retained the Ashes trophy since 2018, while England has not managed a Test win on Australian soil since 2011. The upcoming series will therefore hold significant importance for both teams, as England aim to end their 14-year drought Down Under.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar