Ruled out due to back injury setback, prioritizes long-term fitness

In Adelaide, Cummins bowled 34 overs, took six wickets and captained the team to a victory which secured an unassailable 3-0 series lead, ensuring the Ashes were retained. But he was immediately ruled out of the last two Tests – and six weeks later has now been forced to miss the T20 World Cup as well.

“I totally think it was worth it,” Cummins said. “Yeah, I wasn’t 100 per cent. I was as best as I could be. Ideally, you come in with a few Shield games and you have been bowling for six months, but we didn’t have time.

“So realistically, if I didn’t push for that third Test, I probably wouldn’t have played any of the Ashes Tests. And I still would have been 50-50 for this World Cup. So, yeah, it was all totally worth it.”

The decision to not rush Cummins’ return – even in modest, four-over doses of Twenty20 cricket – is ultimately a matter of priorities, and with Australia facing a huge international schedule later this year and through 2027, the reward was not worth the risk.

Australia host Bangladesh in August before touring South Africa in September for the first time since 2018, and then a Test series against New Zealand. In 2027, Australia will have an Indian tour, the 150th anniversary Test against England, an Ashes series and the ODI World Cup.

Cummins has ample experience when it comes to dealing with back injuries, after missing almost six years of Test match cricket as a youngster when plagued by stress fractures. Cummins said those years of toil informed his current recovery, in a positive way.

“One, the medical staff are so good at treating these injuries nowadays that we’ve got so much more information than we did even at the start of my career. Then also confident that if you are patient with this kind of injury, there’s a lot of cricket on the other side of the bar,” he said.

“I didn’t have that patience when I was young. If it takes an extra month or two here to get it right, I know I shouldn’t have this issue again for a fair while.

Cummins said he would make a decision about playing in the IPL in coming months, pending fitness. The fast bowler said he wasn’t concerned about Australia’s lacklustre form heading into the T20 World Cup, which saw them smashed by Pakistan in a three-game series last week.

“We’ve done it a couple of times where things don’t look too good going into the tournament, but things come together and click,” Cummins said while promoting Prime Video’s live coverage of the ICC Men’s World Twenty20 World Cup, from February 7.

“A lot of the guys flew in a day or so before that Pakistan series from a really successful BBL campaign, so I think they can shake it off fairly quickly.”

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Cummins said Steve Smith had batted superbly in the BBL but faced stiff competition for an opener’s role for Australia, with Marsh, Travis Head and left-hander Matt Renshaw preferred.

“I’d imagine that’s kind of the conversation that would have been had, but I’m sure if there’s any injuries, Steve will be probably on the next flight,” he said.