2 weeks ago
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Pat Cummins has revealed that there is still some uncertainty around whether he will be able to play for Australia in the opening Test of their Ashes Series in Perth on November 21.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson said on Tuesday that Cummins had sustained a 'level of lumbar bone stress' that will require management over the coming months. It appears that the injury arose during Australia's recent tour to the West Indies.
Cummins broke his silence on the matter on Wednesday, revealing to members of the media that he may need to take a few risks in order to play.
'[I] had another scan on Monday, which was not terrible, but enough to know there's a little bit there and [that I] need to be careful for the next little bit,' Cummins told rights holders on Wednesday.
'It doesn't feel too bad, but I'm not bowling or doing much at the moment.'
Pressed on what it would be like to miss out on the first Test at the Optus Stadium, Cummins admitted: 'That would be devastating.
'We'll be doing everything we can to be right for that, [and] make a few decisions a little bit closer, but [I'm] confident we'll do the rehab right and give it a good crack.
'This far out it's hard to know, but we're trying to make sure we're doing everything right to be right for Perth. It's a big Ashes series, [it] doesn't get much bigger, so you're willing to be aggressive and take a few risks to try to play as much of the Tests as you can.'
'[I] was a little bit sore after the West Indies, had a scan, [and] there was a little bit going on, gave it another month, [and I] have had a bit of a quiet month to help it settle down.'
'Sometimes you may just get unlucky and you bowl lots of overs in, say, the World Test Championship final and that's enough to start it, but through the West Indies I felt like it was a little sore but nothing [unusual] for a fast bowler. But once you get home and everything settles down, it hung around a little bit.'
More to follow...
