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D-Day for Cummins: The Ashes injury timeline for Aussie captain
Lachlan Geleit • September 23rd, 2025 3:46 pm
Veteran cricket journalist Robert Craddock isn’t confident at all that Australian captain Pat Cummins will play a big part in the Ashes series.
While the player himself and Australian coach Andrew McDonald both told SEN that they’re aiming for the first Test and to feature as much as possible this series, Craddock simply can’t see the skipper featuring on more than a sporadic basis.
Currently in a period of rest after scans revealed a stress ‘hot spot’ in his back after the West Indies Test series in June and July, Craddock says Cummins has another scan coming up in October, which will dictate if his preparations can ramp up or not ahead of the summer.
“One apparent certainty with all parties is that he won’t play all Tests,” Craddock told SEN Mornings.
“I’m not very confident about this at all, and I’ve heard a lot of different views about it.
“He has a scan coming up in a couple of weeks, about three weeks' time, and that scan will be all-revealing.
“If he’s made progress, they’ll give him the green light to start training and bowling, and he’ll work his way up gently.
“But if it reveals no process or even worsening damage, it could cost him the entire series.
“There’s an element behind the scenes where they’re preparing for life without Cummins for a while.”
While the 32-year-old will obviously be desperate to play against the nation’s biggest rivals, Craddock hopes that Cricket Australia won’t be too aggressive with his return to play and, in doing so, threaten his playing future.
“The one question we haven’t mentioned… is that it’s ok to use the term that it’s a big series, so we’re going to be ‘aggressive’ with him,” Craddock said.
“Hang on, this is one of the greatest bowlers Australia has ever seen in the prime of his career.
“You don’t risk his entire future for one series.
“I keep quoting Josh Hazlewood on this … you talk to him about back injuries and he goes, ‘You cannot stuff around with backs, when you think you’re ready, you’re often not’.”
The first Test between Australia and England begins on November 21 at Optus Stadium. Catch every ball of the Ashes on SEN - your home of cricket.
