Australia’s cricket team will kick off the Ashes series without their captain, Pat Cummins, as confirmed by Cricket Australia on Monday, October 27. Cummins, who is still recovering from a long-standing back injury, will miss the initial Test match scheduled to start on November 21 in Perth. This setback comes as a significant blow to Australia, who are gearing up to face England in a rigorous five-Test series.
In Cummins’ absence, Steve Smith will step in as the captain for the opening Test. On a positive note, Cricket Australia also announced that Cummins would soon resume bowling to prepare for his return. The 32-year-old has been sidelined since the July Test series, which followed the World Test Championship final. Subsequently, he sat out the limited-overs matches against New Zealand and India.
While there were concerns about Cummins’ availability for the entire Ashes series, Cricket Australia’s assurance of his imminent return to bowling has sparked hope that he could make a comeback during the latter part of the series. Given the tight schedule with the final three Tests crammed into a three-week span, Cummins will need to attain peak fitness. Managing his workload meticulously and rotating fast bowlers will be crucial strategies in his absence.
Scott Boland is expected to replace Cummins in the playing XI for the series opener in Perth, complementing pace spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, alongside all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster. However, there are concerns surrounding Hazlewood’s fitness, as he has completed a full five-Test series only once in the past eight years. His recent finger injury scare during the ODI series against India raises further apprehensions.
The Ashes 2025-26 schedule includes the following Tests:
– 1st Ashes Test in Perth starting from November 21
– 2nd Ashes Test in Brisbane starting from December 4
– 3rd Ashes Test in Adelaide starting from December 17
– 4th Ashes Test in Melbourne starting from December 26
– 5th Ashes Test in Sydney starting from January 4
Overall, the Australian team faces challenges in managing their fast bowlers’ workload and maintaining peak fitness levels as they gear up for the intense Ashes series against England.