Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has admitted that time is running out for captain Pat Cummins to prove his fitness for the first Ashes Test starting November 21 at Perth. With Cummins still recovering from a back injury that he sustained during the tour of the Caribbean, McDonald said a decision on his availability will be taken in a week’s time.
From the time it emerged that Cummins has suffered a lumbar bone stress in his lower back, his availability for the first Test has been under question. While there were even reports that Cummins would miss the Test, McDonald hasn’t ruled him out completely as yet. McDonald said the pacer has been having a positive rehab session and dismissed any concerns that Cummins would be out of the entire series.
“It’ll be a decision around the first Test match. Are we starting to run out of time? There’s no doubt,” McDonald said. “Is Patty someone that can be prepared on a shortened prep? Yes, but as it stands six weeks out, we’d like to see him back and bowling very soon, if he was to be a realistic chance at that first Test. To say that he’s out of the series and to go down that path would be incorrect at this stage. All I’d say is that he’s had a really positive week, this week.”
McDonald then went on to explain why they haven’t completely ruled Cummins out of the first Test. ““If we did know, we’d let you know. The biggest variable that we need to add in is bowling, and that’s where we’ll get most of the information. There’s no discussion of him missing the entire series. We’ll be in a better position this time next week to give a more informed take on where he’s at, in regards to the first Test,” McDonald added.
In case Cummins isn’t fit, then Australia have to take a call on who leads the time as well. While Steve Smith is expected to take charge, Cummins said they would ideally give time for the batsman to prepare. “We feel as though that would be a nice timeline to start to get the pieces together,” McDonald said. “We’ll have more information on Patty, and then we’ll be able to sort of build towards what that first Test match looks like. It’s highly likely that Steve would be that the person that we turn to. George Bailey would have to tick that one off. Steve’s incredibly experienced. He’s done a good job as recently as Sri Lanka, when Pat wasn’t on that tour. So that’s the person that we’ve turned to. I don’t see that changing,” McDonald said.
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