The China Mail - Australia captain Cummins ruled out of first Ashes Test

The governing body said "Cummins will not be fit in time" as he recovers from a lower back injury, and that veteran batter Steve Smith would lead the side in his absence.

Australia are clinging to hope the pace spearhead will return later in the five-Test series.

"Cummins has resumed running and expects to return to bowling shortly," Cricket Australia said.

The 32-year-old has not played since picking up a lower back injury in a Test match against the West Indies in July.

Scott Boland looms as the likely replacement, joining fellow quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Cummins' race to prove his fitness has become a major storyline leading up to the first Test, starting in Perth on November 21.

"I'm still doing a bit of gym and keeping things kicking over, but with this kind of injury, it's rest and then we'll build back and kind of work back from the Ashes," he said in September.

"Still really hopeful to be able to be part of the Ashes. But it is a little bit of a wait and see."

Cummins has suffered serious back issues several times over the years, including a flare-up in 2018 that kept him out of action for a full off-season.

- Woeful record -

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has said he may still pick Cummins at some point even if he was a "little bit underdone" with his rehabilitation.

England are bringing a pace-heavy attack for the series, spearheaded by Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood.

Former fast bowler Stuart Broad stoked the bitter rivalry between the two sides earlier this month when he claimed Australia were fielding their weakest line-up in 15 years.

"It's probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won (in Australia), and it's the best English team since 2010," Broad, now working as a pundit, told the BBC.

"It's actually not an opinion, it's fact."

But the reality remains that England have an appalling record playing in Australia.

Australia retained the Ashes in England in 2023 after the series ended in a 2-2 draw.

They beat England 4-0 at home in 2021-22 when Cummins was the leading bowler with 21 wickets at an average of 18.

The 2010-11 series, taken by the tourists 3-1, is the only Ashes in Australia since 2002-03 in which England have even won a Test.

F.Brown--ThChM