SYDNEY: Australian coach Andrew McDonald is confident that skipper Pat Cummins will play “a key part” in the Ashes series despite a back injury.

Pace spearhead Cummins has been ruled out of the October white-ball series against New Zealand and India with “lumbar bone stress”.

The 32-year-old has not bowled since the Test tour of the West Indies in June-July and no firm date has been set for his return.

The first Ashes Test against England in Perth starts on Nov 21 and McDonald struck a confident tone in an interview aired Wednesday.

McDonald acknowledged to SEN radio that the uncertainty around Cummins “is not ideal”, but added: “We’re confident that he’s going to partake in the Ashes.

“I think to sensationalise that he’s not [going to play] would be an overreaction.

“It’s not ideal. I’m not going to sit here and say that it’s ideal.”

But he added: “We’ve got time. If it happened any closer [to the series], then you’d have to be making sort of key decisions around what it all looks like.

“But we have got time... we’re really, really hopeful that he will play a key part in the Ashes.”

Earlier this month Cummins said he was “willing to take a few risks” to fast-track his recovery.

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

McDonald did not commit to Cummins playing all five Ashes Tests, but said: “We look forward to our captain taking a significant part in the Ashes.”

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

They enjoyed a 4-0 sweep of England at home in 2021-22. Cummins was the leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at an average of 18.

Meanwhile, Australian opener Sam Konstas overcame “mental demons” in a counter-attacking century for Australia ‘A’ in Lucknow as the 19-year-old boosted his case for retention in the Test side for the Ashes.

The 19-year-old made 109 off 144 balls against India ‘A’ to help his side reach 337 for five at stumps on Tuesday. The tourists then amassed 532-6 declared on Wednesday.

Konstas was glad to be back in the runs after a lean tour of the West Indies earlier this year.

“I felt I had to face quite a few demons mentally, and I just had to get through that. Super stoked and hopefully I can build on that,” he said.The Australia ‘A’ tour of India may be more aimed at long-term planning for the 2027 Test series there but Konstas’s knock is unlikely to go unnoticed by selectors with the first Ashes test in Perth two months away.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025