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Pat Cummins is set to be included in Australia’s squad for the upcoming second Ashes Test against England in Brisbane, according to reports.
The Aussie skipper was absent from his side's epic eight-wicket victory in Perth last weekend due to a back injury.
According to Code Sports, the 32-year-old fast bowler, who has been seen bowling at full tilt in the nets this week with a pink ball, is tracking nicely ahead of the day-night Test and is set to return to the squad when it is officially announced on Friday.
It remains to be seen whether he will feature in the starting eleven to take on England at The Gabba on December 4, but Australia coach Andrew McDonald stated the New South Wales bowler was a genuine chance to play next Thursday.
‘There's a lot of positives there, but now it's just really building that resilience there, and making sure that we're not putting him in harm's way in terms of accelerating it too much,’ he said.
‘But it will be a genuine discussion leading into this Test match, and that may be one that eventuates late for us.’
Pat Cummins (pictured) is set to be named in Australia's squad for their upcoming Ashes Test in Brisbane against England
The Australia captain has been recovering from a back injury, and this week dropped a big hint that he could play, with the 32-year-old seen bowling in the nets with a pink ball
It comes as fellow quick Josh Hazlewood has also been showing promising signs that his injury recovery is progressing well. Prior to the series, the New South Wales bowler had appeared to pull up with a hamstring issue.
Fears later emerged that the injury was worse than first thought, with Cricket Et Al’s Peter Lalor claiming that the issue could be a ‘tendon injury’ that could see him miss the entirety of the series.
While no official update on Hazlewood’s condition has been confirmed, the sight of him bowling alongside Cummins suggests that he may be back to play sooner than thought.
Doubts over Cummins’ fitness had also swirled well before the start of the series, with the star bowler having previously admitted that he feared he could miss the entirety of the Ashes due to the hot spot in his back - an issue he has dealt with throughout his career.
‘It’s ebbed and flowed. There were probably times where I thought I wasn’t going to play a game,’ Cummins said during an interview with Kayo.
‘So in some ways being in this position (a chance to play in Brisbane) I actually feel potentially better than I did a couple of months ago. But it’s been tough.’
This week he looked in fine fettle as he turned his arm over with a pink ball in a nets session.
‘I’d say the hardest thing is just not being out there in the middle. You just want to be in amongst it. The whole cricketing world is watching and you just wish you were out there.’
It comes as Josh Hazlewood (pictured) has also been seen back in the nets, after fears arose he could miss the series with a tendon issue
It remains to be seen whether Cummins (pictured) will be included in the starting XI to play against England but Australia coach Andrew McDonald stated that he was a genuine chance
Pace bowler Brendan Doggett (pictured), who took 5-79 on his debut in Perth, is likely to miss out if Cummins is brought back into the fold
Regardless of whether he is fit to play, Cummins will still travel with the squad to Brisbane and, according to News Corp, will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness right up until the eve of the second Test.
Brendan Doggett will likely be the player to miss out should Cummins be fit to play, however the 31-year-old who impressed on his debut in Perth, says he is prepared to play should his captain be unavailable.
'Pat is looking pretty good in the nets now so we will see where that lands,' Doggett said on Thursday.
'I am going to control what I can control, keep ticking the legs over and keep bowling and trying to improve in every session and game. If I get called on in that second Test I feel like I am ready to go again.'
The South Australian, who took five wickets for 78 in Perth, was also asked if he had any indication from Aussie selectors on whether he’ll be dropped.
'There have been no conversations whatsoever,' he said.
'We are soaking in the win and letting everyone get back to their families. We arrive in Brisbane on Sunday so I assume conversations will start there about what the line-up looks like for the second Test.'
While England were left shellshocked by the heroics of Travis Head, even Doggett says he was shocked that the first Test ended in just two days.
'It was a pretty hectic week on and off the field for me. Obviously, it was nice to get the win and watch Travis Head go to town in that fourth innings,' he said.
'I didn't imagine it being a two-day Test and Trav scoring a 69-ball hundred but the crowd and atmosphere were amazing and all my friends and family were there to support me. It is what I dreamt of so glad to get that one off my chest.'
