Is Cummins Set to Play in the Ashes? McDonald Confident!

New Delhi, Sep 17 (NationPress) Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald is optimistic about Pat Cummins playing a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series, even though he is currently dealing with a lumbar bone stress injury that emerged during the Test tour in the West Indies.

Cummins, aged 32, is in a phase of rest and rehabilitation but has suggested that he plans to start bowling well in advance of the Ashes. With over two months left before the initial Ashes Test against England, set to commence at Optus Stadium in Perth on November 21, McDonald believes there is sufficient time for Cummins to recover.

“We are confident that he will participate in the Ashes. To claim that he won’t play would be an exaggeration. It’s not a perfect situation, and I won’t pretend it is. He does have a lumbar bone stress issue, but he will navigate his return to play as planned.

“We have time. If this had occurred closer to the series, we would have to make critical decisions, but we have the time… as I mentioned, we are very hopeful that he will contribute significantly in the Ashes.

“We will monitor his progress, and there will be more information as he trains and re-joins the team. We are looking forward to our captain making a substantial impact in the Ashes,” McDonald shared on SEN Radio.

Regarding the chance of Cummins playing in all five Tests, McDonald remarked that it is premature to establish concrete plans. “In our strategy, we don’t typically set expectations for our players. As the season progresses, if there are shorter matches and we manage workloads organically based on the pace of the Test matches, then we can consider that as a possibility.”

“We have good gaps between the first three Tests, making it manageable for most of our bowlers. The real challenge arises in Tests four and five, and effective management will be key throughout the summer,” he stated.

If Cummins is unable to participate in any part of the series, McDonald expressed confidence in veteran batter Steve Smith to step in as Australia’s captain for the Ashes, highlighting his prior experience in the role.

“We are adequately prepared. Steve Smith has extensive captaincy experience. We haven’t yet had that discussion since there is no final timeline for Pat. Just thinking aloud, I believe Steve has captained in the absence of Pat five or six times.

“He would be the logical choice to step in, and we have great confidence in him. It’s an obvious decision; he understands the team dynamics and is a strong leader in his own right,” he concluded.