Pat Cummins targets return for second Ashes Test, hints at possible rest later in series
Sydney: Australia captain Pat Cummins is eyeing a comeback for the second Ashes Test but has admitted he may not feature in all four remaining matches against England due to the tight schedule.
Steve Smith will lead Australia in the opening Test in Perth starting November 21, as Cummins continues to recover from a back injury. Though the 32-year-old expects to be bowling at full intensity soon, the final call on his return will be made closer to the second Test beginning December 4 in Brisbane.
Cummins, who has been out of action since July with a lower-back injury, bowled an eight-over spell on Wednesday without discomfort.
“That’s the aim — we’re building our plan around the second Test,” Cummins told cricket.com.au. “It’s probably not until you get a bit closer that you really know where you’re at. The good thing is the body’s feeling great, and I’m recovering well. I’ll have a solid bowl in Perth, and that should give me a clearer idea.”
While keen to play as much as possible, Cummins acknowledged the need to manage his workload. “If we have a big game and I bowl 40 or 50 overs, and then there’s another match just a few days later, it might be a bit much,” he said.
The series schedule gives Australia a lengthy break between the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests (December 4–8 and December 17–21), but the final three matches are separated by only four days each.
“I’m trying to get right, and if I do, I’ll aim to play as much of the series as possible,” Cummins added.
The skipper will stay with the squad during the Perth Test, observing from the coach’s box — a perspective he said offers valuable insights.
“Before the 2023 ODI World Cup, I watched a couple of ODIs in South Africa from the coach’s box — it was a totally different view,” he said. “Hopefully I can pick up things from there that will help later in the series, or maybe give Steve Smith a fresh perspective from what I see up top.”
