Pat Cummins Ruled Out Of First Ashes Test, With Steve Smith To Captain Australia

Pat Cummins is officially retired of nan first Ashes Test arsenic he continues his betterment from a accent wounded successful his back, pinch Steve Smith to reassume nan captaincy of Australia successful nan bid opener against England adjacent month.

Cummins has not bowled since Australia’s 3-0 bid conclusion of West Indies successful July and had been successful superior uncertainty for nan lucifer successful Perth connected 21 November. After months of speculation complete whether he would retrieve successful time, Cricket Australia connected Monday yet confirmed that nan speedy would person to beryllium retired nan crippled astatine Optus Stadium.

The 32-year-old’s acumen pinch nan shot successful manus and his beingness arsenic a leader connected nan section will beryllium sorely missed, and pinch uncertainty remaining complete erstwhile he will beryllium capable to characteristic again, his absence comes arsenic a rustle to Australia’s hopes of retaining nan Ashes urn.

The 32-year-old has resumed moving and “expects to return to bowling shortly”, CA said connected Monday, though an nonstop day has not been put connected immoderate return to afloat fitness.

Cummins has antecedently indicated he would for illustration a afloat 4 weeks of bowling earlier returning to nan starting XI, meaning nan 2nd Test successful Brisbane starting connected 4 December would beryllium a realistic target, if he tin resume bowling successful nan adjacent week aliases so.

Smith, who was stripped of nan captaincy successful nan aftermath of nan sandpaper ungraded successful 2018, has since filled successful for Australia six times arsenic Cummins’s vice-captain since nan bowler assumed nan domiciled successful November 2021. Smith boasts a amended batting mean arsenic skipper (68.98), compared pinch erstwhile not successful nan domiciled (49.9).

Cummins’s absence apt paves nan measurement for nan Victorian speedy Scott Boland to travel into nan squad and partner Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc for nan first Test astatine least. Australia’s coach, Andrew McDonald, was to speak to media successful Canberra later connected Monday.