NEW DELHI: Australia suffered a major setback as Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand and India after scans revealed lumbar bone stress in his lower back.
Cummins has been out of action since the West Indies Test series, where his bowling workload was noticeably reduced. He subsequently missed the five T20Is against the West Indies as well as both white-ball series against South Africa.
The concern emerged during routine medical checks after Australia's WTC Final and the subsequent West Indies tour earlier this year. While scans ruled out a fracture, Cricket Australia confirmed that the bone stress was serious enough to require rest and rehabilitation.
A Cricket Australia statement detailed the situation: "Cummins was rested from the recent T20 series against the West Indies and South Africa. Despite this planned de-load period, Cummins has experienced some ongoing lower back pain following the West Indies Test tour."
The statement further explained: "Further investigation has identified a level of lumbar bone stress that will require further management over the coming months. Cummins won't be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India and will continue his rehabilitation plan with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation."
Although Cummins has been one of Australia's most reliable performers in recent years, his career has long been shadowed by back problems. Stress fractures repeatedly stalled his progress after a dream debut in 2011, delaying his return to the longest format.
However, since his full comeback in 2017, he has become a mainstay of Australia's attack, missing only one of the last 20 Ashes Tests.
