Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald, is optimistic that injured captain Pat Cummins will significantly contribute to the Ashes, even if he doesn’t play in all five matches of the series.
The fast bowler is currently recovering from a persistent lower back injury, which has been an issue since Australia’s West Indies tour earlier this year.
“We have time on our side. If this had happened closer to the Ashes, we would have needed to make critical decisions,” McDonald explained to Australian radio station SEN.
“We’re hopeful he will play an important role in the Ashes as we gather more information,” he added.
Cummins will miss Australia’s white-ball series against New Zealand and India in October.
McDonald noted that no specific timeline has been set for Cummins’ return to international cricket, and there is no expectation for him or his fellow pace bowlers to play all five tests against England.
“From the outset, we never planned for our fast bowlers to play all five test matches,” he mentioned.
“In recent years, we’ve been fortunate with shorter games early in the summer, allowing fast bowlers to play all five Tests. We’ll assess Pat’s situation,” he said.
The Ashes are scheduled to begin in Perth on November 21.
