Australia’s cricket captain, Pat Cummins, famously suffered a back stress injury. This recent injury concern leaves his availability for the 2023-24 Test series against England in doubt. The first Test gets underway in Brisbane on December 4. Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres is anxious to put his best foot — and bowl — forward before his return from the injured list for a competitive game.
Cummins, whose last competitive appearance came in July, suggested he faces a difficult road through the rehabilitation process. He expressed the need for adequate preparation, stating, “If you play a Test match, you want to make sure you’re right to bowl 20 overs in a day and you don’t have to really think about it.” He calculates that he will require a minimum of a month’s practice in the nets. This preparation is necessary to get him dialed in and game ready.
Bowling might not be a relaxing part of Cummins’ recovery plan at this point. There is something positive, he will begin his bowling preparation from next week. He explained, “So four weeks is pretty tight. But I think somewhere around that mark.” Even with those best laid plans, Cummins is still not sure whether he will be able to play in the first Test. “I wouldn’t put a percentage on it, but I’d say probably less likely than likely, but I’ve still got a bit of time,” he remarked.
Australia’s coach, Andrew McDonald, has commented on Cummins’ fitness, while teammate David Warner expressed confidence in the captain’s leadership abilities. Warner stated, “I had the fortunate privilege to share a change room with him when he was younger and he has evolved into a serious cricketer and a fantastic leader.” He added, “If we can sort of not poke that bear and get him up and about, I think that will help the Australians enormously.”
If Cummins is unable to take the field for the first Test, Steve Smith will likely assume the captaincy of the Australian side. One significant bright spot is his willingness to lead the other side. Scott Boland is likely to support Cummins’ pace attack should the captain continue to miss time. Reports coming out of Australia suggest that perhaps surprisingly given his star status, Cummins now looks set to miss out on the first Test. He also runs the risk of missing the remainder of the series.
Currently in the thick of a hard fought Test series against England, Cummins is still hopeful of making a swift recovery, potentially returning. But he knows he’ll have to be 100 percent fit the first time he steps on the pitch.
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