‘I’m feeling pretty good’: Cummins provides injury update

Australian Test captain Pat Cummins concedes this summer “might be a bit different” as he manages a lingering back issue, but insists his best-case scenario remains playing all five Ashes Tests.

Cummins was pressed on his fitness at a media event at Howell Oval in Penrith on Friday, where the federal government announced a $50 million investment in community sport that the Australian skipper helped facilitate.

On Wednesday, Australian head coach Andrew McDonald said Cummins would “partake” in the Ashes and play a “significant part”.

The first Ashes Test starts on November 21 in Perth.

“There are no hard and fast plans yet,” Cummins told reporters. “I’m still doing a bit of gym and keeping things kicking over, but with this kind of injury, it’s rest and then we’ll build back and kind of work back from the Ashes.

“Still really hopeful to be able to be part of the Ashes. But it is a little bit of a wait and see. At the moment, I’m feeling pretty good, so nothing’s changed from what it was a couple of weeks ago really.”

Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins. Credit: AP

Asked about the prospect of still playing all five Tests, Cummins said: “The aim is five. Every summer, you kind of aim for five.

“This one might be a little bit different because you’re coming in a little bit different than other ones. But the starting aim is for five. Once we get closer, we’re probably going to chat through potentially more realistic situations. It’s honestly too far out to say. But the aim at the moment is to try and be ready for all of it.”

Within Cricket Australia, one option being discussed is for Cummins to feature in four of the five Tests. The skipper stressed he would not risk playing if he feared breaking down and argued he no longer needed heavy match workloads to be ready.

“Ideally, you’re playing ODIs and then you’re playing a [Sheffield] Shield game,” Cummins said. “That’s probably what the other boys are doing. That was probably my original plan, but I think we’ll work out a program where I’m ready to play.

“I won’t go into a Test where I feel like I [will] break down or anything like that. I think if you’d asked me 10 years ago, I would have said I really feel like I need to play games. Now it’s centre wickets and net sessions. I’ve bowled a lot more overs. I feel like I can kind of get up to Test level pretty quickly.”

Cummins also said fast bowler rotation across the summer would be critical.

“Most years, at least one of the bowlers normally goes down. Joshy [Hazlewood] missed the back half last year. Obviously conditions change, but I think that you just need that fresh bowler and guys that can come in and bowl 40 overs without really blinking in a Test match.

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“I think that’s super valuable.”

Cummins helped launch the federal government’s new ‘Forever Sport Program’ after lobbying from his Cricket for Climate organisation, which was founded in 2021. The scheme will fund solar panels and other measures to cut bills and emissions at community clubs across all sports.

“For me, sporting clubs were a huge part of my childhood. With this support, it can make a real difference,” Cummins said.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said: “Pat’s a great advocate. This wouldn’t have happened without Pat’s leadership and Cricket for Climate’s leadership. When we hear a good idea, we’ll grab it. When the captain of the Australian cricket team says ‘we want to be all in to reduce bills and emissions’, we’re on board.”

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