Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has stated his determination to play in the high-profile Ashes series, despite battling a back injury likely caused by increased workload during the World Test Championship
Final against South Africa earlier this year.
The 32-year-old fast bowler, who will miss upcoming white-ball games against New Zealand and India, as well as Sheffield Shield matches leading up to the Ashes, is hopeful of recovering in time for the opening Test in Perth on November 21.
“I’m never going to go into a Test match unless you think you can finish the Test match,” Cummins told cricket.com.au on Wednesday.
“But when you’re 18 or 19, you’re like, ‘Let’s make sure this the perfect rehab whether it takes an extra six months.’ Whereas, I’m happy to be a bit like, ‘Well, it’s an Ashes series, whatever it takes to play it.’
“Then, say, at the end, if you’re still not 100 per cent and you need to then have a bit of a break next year… there’s not another Ashes series,” said Cummins, highlighting the significance of the series against England.
Medical scans have revealed a lower-back issue that continues to trouble Cummins weeks after the Test series against the West Indies.
Cummins is currently following a restricted training regimen in the gym and will be spared from playing in the coming weeks to ensure his back issue is resolved. He has a history of injuries, including persistent back problems and an ankle injury that caused him to miss the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
The pace bowler mentioned that experts will “reassess” him in a month’s time.
Cummins expressed confidence that he would need minimal preparation for the Ashes, even if he misses the Shield games, and said he was ready to take risks.
“I think you’re willing to take a few risks and be a little bit aggressive to try and play as many Tests as you can. At this stage of my career, I feel like I can probably get up to speed a bit quicker than when I was 18 or 19.
“Back then you probably feel like you need to play a few Shield games or one-dayers. I’m pretty confident even if I don’t get a chance to play a Shield game, I can get up to speed pretty quickly.
“It’s nearly 12 weeks until the first Test, it feels a long way away, so we’ve got plenty of time.”
Cummins, who bowled 35.1 overs in the WTC Final defeat to South Africa at Lord’s in June over four days, saw his bowling workload increase significantly during the title clash soon after returning from the Indian Premier League.
“Sometimes you might just get unlucky and bowl a lot of overs in, say, the World Test Championship final and that’s enough to kind of start it (injury),” he said.
“Through the West Indies, I felt like maybe it was a little bit sore, but nothing abnormal for fast bowlers, you’ve always got some niggles. Once you get home and everything settles down, it just hung around a little bit.”
He bowled another 49 overs in less than a fortnight in the first two Tests against the West Indies.
Regarding his injury, Cummins, who has missed only one Test due to injury since becoming captain four years ago, said, “It’s similar (to previous injuries). But I’ve been really lucky, the last seven or eight years I haven’t really had much.”
“In 2018 I had a full-blown stress fracture, which kept me out for a full off-season. But I’ve had a really good run as far as fast bowling goes and have been well looked after.
“It feels worlds away (from those more serious injuries). I’ve bowled a lot over the last few years, so something was bound to happen at some point. But hopefully I get this right and don’t miss too much cricket,” he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
