Pat Cummins Archives

Brook believes Cummins’ absence could hand England Ashes advantage

England Test team vice-captain Harry Brook believes Australia ace bowler Pat Cummins’ injury could play into their hands, giving them an extra advantage going into the Ashes 2025.

Cummins is in a race against time to be fit for the first Ashes Test, and according to some reports, he could be ruled out of the series due to a lower back stress injury, suffered earlier this year.

Earlier today, Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald, also hinted that Cummins needs at least “four, four-and-a-half weeks” of bowling in the nets to get ready, which has not started yet.

Speaking ahead of the New Zealand tour, Brook hailed Cummins’ bowling and stated that his exclusion from the playing XI will give England an advantage.

“Obviously he is an amazing bowler and has been for many years; he bowls at high pace with high skill,” Brook said at the Professional Cricketers’ Association Awards on Thursday.

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“With him out of their side for the first game, from [the reports] we’ve seen, hopefully that plays into our hands.”

However, the right-hander also mentioned Australia’s bowling depth, emphasizing the threat the likes of benched players pose for them.

“But they have a hell of a lot of good, quick bowlers out there. Guys who can come into the side and, when their tails are up, they can plough through teams. So we can’t take anybody lightly.”

Brook also backed Ben Stokes to feature in all five Tests despite having fitness concerns in the past year. He praised the skippers’ character and mentioned their performances despite having injuries.

“It’s an honour to have any leadership role. But it’s not something that I’m biting at the bit to do. If you want it too much, then it’s not a good thing. And I see Stokesy playing all five Tests, if I’m being honest. I think he’ll power through even if he has a little niggle.

“Everybody in the world knows what he’s like, his character, and the way that he just cracks on. That is the way that the team is built now; everybody keeps going. If you do have a little niggle, just power through – and that is what he does so well.

He further mentioned about Stokes’ bowling long spells and revealed what he would say if it gets too much on him.

“Because he wants to bowl long spells, that can sometimes be to his detriment. But he told us last year as a group that if he gets into a position like that again, then go up and have a word with him.”

The opening Ashes Test between England and Australia will commence on November 21 at Perth Cricket Stadium.

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Cummins, Head knock back Rs 2.8 billion offers to quit international cricket

SYDNEY: Australia’s ace duo Pat Cummins and Travis Head were reportedly offered nearly $10 million to forgo international cricket and play T20 franchise cricket full-time, according to a report in ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’.

According to the report, both players from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were offered a hefty sum by an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise.

However, Cummins and Head turned down the offers worth $10 million, approximately Rs 2.8 billion, and prioritized the Australian cricket team.

For context, several IPL teams have a foothold on the global T20 franchises spanning the USA, UAE, South Africa, and most recently The Hundred, where Indian investors have bought stakes in the teams.

Notably, Pat Cummins’ earnings are closer to $3 3million from playing international cricket, apart from the added money that comes with being Australia’s captain.

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Meanwhile, Travis Head has expressed his views on what it is like to play franchise cricket around the globe.

“I played MLC to get a taste of what it would be like to play franchise cricket,” Head told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I had IPL into a World Cup into MLC, so I wanted to see what it was like to basically play four months of franchise cricket.

“You want to have every option available to you, you want to experience things and understand how things operate,” he continued.

The left-hander also mentioned that his ultimate goal is to play for Australia.

“Whether I could do it, whether I liked it, whether I was good at it. I hadn’t played a lot of T20 cricket for a period of time, so get back into that. It was a perfect time in my life [to do that], then that time moves past.”

“Currently I’m playing for Australia, and I don’t see a timeline where I can play anything [else] really,” Head concluded.

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Australia skipper Pat Cummins ‘hopeful’ of playing in Ashes

Australia skipper Pat Cummins said Friday he hoped to play in all five Ashes Tests against England but conceded he will need to see how his back injury holds up, local media said.

Pace spearhead Cummins has been ruled out of the October white-ball series against New Zealand and India with “lumbar bone stress”.

The 32-year-old has not bowled since the Test tour of the West Indies in June-July, and no firm date has been set for his return.

Cummins said Friday that although he hopes to be part of the Ashes, he would need to “wait and see”.

“There are no hard and fast plans yet,” the skipper 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,” he said.

“Still really hopeful to be able to be part of the Ashes. But it is a little bit of a wait-and-see.”

Pat Cummins told reporters he aimed to play in all five Tests, but conceded a decision would have to be made closer to the time.

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“It’s honestly too far out to say. But the aim at the moment is to try and be ready for all of it,” he said.

Cummins has suffered severe back issues several times over the years, including a flare-up in 2018 that kept him out of action for a full off-season.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald said this week he was confident Cummings would play a key part in the Ashes.

But he acknowledged to SEN radio that the uncertainty around Cummins “is not ideal”, but it was an “overreaction” to say the skipper would not play.

“It’s not ideal. I’m not going to sit here and say that it’s ideal,” McDonald told the radio station.

The first Ashes Test against England in Perth starts on November 21.

Australia retained the Ashes in England in 2023 after the series ended in a 2-2 draw.

They enjoyed a 4-0 sweep of England at home in 2021-22. Cummins was the leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at an average of 18.

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Australia hopeful on Pat Cummins fitness for Ashes despite back issue

Australia are confident that captain Pat Cummins will be fit for the Ashes after he was ruled out of the series against New Zealand and India with a back complaint on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old fast bowler was rested from the recent white-ball series against the West Indies and South Africa and is still dealing with what Cricket Australia described as “lumbar bone stress”.

Test skipper Cummins has been struggling with the issue since July, and the Ashes start in November.

“Despite this planned (rest) period, Cummins has experienced some ongoing lower back pain following the West Indies Test tour,” Cricket Australia said.

“Further investigation has identified a level of lumbar bone stress that will require further management over the coming months.”

No date was set for a return, but chairman of selectors George Bailey said he expected Cummins to play the first Ashes Test at Perth from November 21.

“It still feels like there’s plenty of time,” Bailey said. “Full expectation that Pat will be right to go come the first Test.”

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But he conceded they could be forced to select Pat Cummins without any recent cricket under his belt.

“If it got to that stage… I still think that we’d be comfortable with Pat’s experience and skill level,” he said.

It would be a devastating blow for Australia if Cummins were unable to return for the start of the Ashes.

Cummins will definitely miss white-ball matches against New Zealand and India starting on October 1.

Australia retained the Ashes in England in 2023 after the series ended 2-2. Cummins took 18 wickets during that series, his second Ashes series as captain.

Australia enjoyed a 4-0 sweep of England at home in 2021-22, and Cummins was the leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at an average of 18.

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Injury concerns for Australia as Pat Cummins faces fitness test ahead of Ashes

Australia captain Pat Cummins is in a race against time to be fit ahead of the opening match of the highly anticipated Ashes 2025-26, slated to commence on November 21 at Optus Stadium in Perth.

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Cummins underwent scans on Monday morning.

According to the report, Cricket Australia’s (CA) chief medical officer, alongside the team doctor and physio, will take time to discuss the scan results.

Moreover, Pat Cummins’s back trouble could rule him out of all the white-ball fixtures that will be played before the first Ashes Test. The star pacer is also unlikely for the T20 squad against New Zealand.

“Depending on the seriousness of Cummins’ back trouble, he may miss all the white ball games that precede the first Ashes Test in Perth in late November and could also need to avoid playing a Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales,” the report said.

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“As it is, he will be missing from the Twenty20 squad that will be named on Tuesday to tour New Zealand,” it added.

Subsequently, Cummins is likely to be fit for the start of the Ashes, having previously undergone similar scans last summer before the Border-Gavaskar series.

Pat Cummins’ injury concerns arose during the West Indies tour, where he played all three Test matches. Overall, the right-arm pacer has bowled 85 overs across four Tests, including the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa.

After his absence, ace batter Steve Smith could be in line for captaincy due to his vast experience under his belt.

For context, Pat Cummins has a longstanding problem with back injuries during the early stages of his career.

After making his Test debut in 2011, Cummins missed six years of cricket. However, in recent times, the fast bowler has been pivotal in Australia’s success.

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Pat Cummins says Cameron Green ‘long-term option’ for number three

Cameron Green is the “long-term option” to bat at number three for Australia, Pat Cummins said, after the captain named his team for the opening Test against the West Indies in Barbados.

The recalled 19-year-old Sam Konstas will open alongside Usman Khawaja, after it was previously announced that Marnus Labuschagne had been dropped.

“Sammy is obviously an opener, and the available spot for Josh this week is at number four,” added Cummins.

Australia have retained the same bowling attack that played in the defeat to South Africa, with just one specialist spinner in Nathan Lyon.

“We don’t really know what to expect, but it feels like the three quicks are better suited for this wicket,” fast bowler Cummins said.

“I think it’ll be a pretty good wicket with maybe a little bit of spin later on in the game, (but) honestly, I’ve got no idea.”

It’s worth noting that Cameron Green scored only four runs and faced just five balls in the World Test Championship (WTC) final defeat against South Africa this month after being elevated to come in at the fall of the first wicket.

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But Cummins told reporters in Barbados that Green would retain his place in the batting order, with Josh Inglis at number four while Steve Smith recovers from a finger injury.

“We always like to not have too many moving parts,” Cummins said. “We see (Green at three) as a long-term option. He’s hitting the ball really well.”

“He had a Test match where it didn’t go to plan. The message is not to look into that too much.

“We’re really happy with where his game is placed, and I dare say he’ll get a decent run at number three.”

On the other hand, a new-look West Indies will also line up with three quick bowlers in Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales.

Roston Chase, who has replaced Kraigg Brathwaite as captain and will be playing his first Test in more than two years, has two spinners at his disposal.

Chase said he hoped the visitors were “still hurting” from Shamar Joseph’s seven-wicket haul in their shock win at Brisbane’s Gabba in January 2024.

The West Indies team contains just four players from the eight-run win at the Gabba and just three survivors from their last Test, against Pakistan in January.

PLAYING XIs

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Brandon King, Roston Chase (capt), Shai Hope, Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

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Pat Cummins hints at overhaul after WTC defeat

Australia captain Pat Cummins has indicated major changes in the team after the unsuccessful defence of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) against South Africa at Lord’s on Saturday.

Chasing 282 to win the 2025 final against Australia at Lord’s, South Africa broke their trophy jinx with a resounding five-wicket victory in the final on day four.

Aiden Markram starred with a magnificent fourth-innings hundred, taking his team home to a historic victory.

Following the defeat, questions arose regarding Australia’s top three, comprising Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, and makeshift opener Marnus Labuschagne. The trio contributed only 49 of Australia’s 419 runs, just over 10 per cent.

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After the defeat, Pat Cummins highlighted the performances, asserting that there needs to be more effort from some players.

“There’s probably quite a few people in the line-up that wish they could have done a little bit more,” Cummins told reporters. “The top three was an obvious one in this game.”

Ahead of the three-match series against West Indies, Pat Cummins said that the WTC cycle feels like a bit of a reset.

“I don’t particularly know why, but it does feel like a little bit of a fresh start,” he said.

“You fast forward, you know, a couple of years (and) you start maybe thinking about who’s going to – and hopefully we make the final – but who’s going to be in that team and maybe do we want to get some games into them? Do we feel like now’s the right time to change? Or do we hold with the team that got us to the final?

“I think we’ll kind of got a couple of weeks before the first Test in the Windies, so I think we’ll sit down and have a bit of a think after we digest this game. But for me, I think a new WTC cycle in some ways, does feel like a bit of a reset,” Pat Cummins concluded.

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Pat Cummins shatters multiple records with six-fer in WTC final

LONDON: Australia captain Pat Cummins broke a plethora of records after claiming six wickets on the second day of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final against South Africa here at The Lord’s.

Cummins’ fiery spell bundled out South Africa for a modest 138-run score, which helped the defending champions secure a healthy 74-run lead.

With his outstanding figures of six for 28, Pat Cummins reached the 300-wicket mark, making him the eighth Australian to achieve this feat.

Most Test wickets for Australia

Shane Warne – 708 wickets in 145 matches

Glenn McGrath – 563 wickets in 124 matches

Nathan Lyon – 533 wickets in 133* matches

Mitchell Starc – 384 wickets in 97* matches

Dennis Lillee – 355 wickets in 70 matches

Mitchell Johnson – 313 wickets in 73 matches

Brett Lee – 310 wickets in 76 matches

Pat Cummins – 300 wickets in 68* matches

The right-arm pacer’s bowling figures in the WTC final were also the best by a Test captain at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Pat Cummins became the first captain in history to take a five-wicket haul in an ICC final, and he now holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls as a skipper in Test cricket.

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Additionally, the Sydney-born pacer also surpassed his compatriot Mitchell Starc in claiming the most wickets in ICC finals

Most Wickets In ICC Finals

Player	Wickets
Pat Cummins	12
Mitchell Starc	11
Mohammed Shami	10
Trent Boult	8
Ravindra Jadeja	8
Kyle Jamieson	8

The star pacer also surpassed India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for most wickets in the WTC 2023-25 cycle. Pat Cummins now has 79 wickets, going past Bumrah’s tally of 77 wickets.

At the time of filing this report, Australia were 115-7 in their second innings with a lead of 189 runs.

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Double blow for Australia as key fast bowlers ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025

Australia suffered a double blow ahead of the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 as captain Pat Cummins and star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have been ruled out of the eight-team event.

“Australia will need to make four changes to their preliminary squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy with confirmation skipper Pat Cummins and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have been ruled out of the tournament,” Cricket Australia (CA) said in a statement.

The statement revealed that the Australian captain failed to recover from his ankle injury while Hazlewood was dealing with a hip issue that kept him out of part of the Test series against India.

“Cummins has not recovered from the ankle issue that plagued him towards the end of the recent Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series against India, while Hazlewood has developed a hip problem following earlier hip and calf strains,” the statement added.

“Both fast bowlers will require an extended period of rehabilitation before they receive the all-clear to return to play, which places a question mark over their involvement in the Indian Premier League which follows the Champions Trophy.”

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Earlier today, Australia suffered another blow to their preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as their star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis left fans shocked with his immediate retirement from the ODI format.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has already been ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.

“Unfortunately Pat [Cummins], Josh [Hazlewood] and Mitch [Marsh] are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t come up in time for the Champion’s Trophy,” national selection panel chair George Bailey said today.

“While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event.”

Australia preliminary squad for Champions Trophy: Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

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Star Australian pacer likely to miss ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Australia is facing a major setback ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with captain Pat Cummins likely to miss the tournament due to an ongoing ankle injury.

Cummins, who has been struggling with the issue since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, has yet to resume bowling, putting his participation in serious doubt.

Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that while Australia’s ODI squad is set to depart for Sri Lanka on Thursday, Cummins is “heavily unlikely” to be part of the touring party.

His absence means the team will need a new captain, with Steve Smith and Travis Head emerging as the frontrunners for the leadership role.

“Pat Cummins hasn’t been able to resume any type of bowling, so he’s heavily unlikely. That means we do need a captain,” McDonald said.

“Steve Smith and Travis Head are the two we’ve been having conversations with while building out the Champions Trophy team along with Pat back home. They’re the obvious choices for the leadership role.”

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It’s worth noting that Pat Cummins isn’t the only fitness concern for Australia ahead of the Champions Trophy as fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is also battling an injury, dealing with a hip issue that kept him out of part of the Test series against India.

Hazlewood’s availability for the Champions Trophy remains uncertain, with further medical updates expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has already been ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury.

He is unlikely to feature in the remainder of the domestic season, though there is still a possibility that he could return for the IPL, where he plays for the Lucknow Super Giants.

With Marsh sidelined, selectors are weighing up their options for his replacement. Uncapped ODI player Beau Webster is in contention while seam-bowling all-rounders Aaron Hardie and Marcus Stoinis are already in the squad but carrying their own injury concerns.

In Cummins and Hazlewood’s absence, Sean Abbott is expected to be recalled to the ODI squad of Australia after missing out on the initial Champions Trophy selection.

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