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SYDNEY: Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins will not be fit for the first Ashes test in Perth next month and will be replaced as captain by Steve Smith, Cricket Australia said on Monday.
Cummins has been sidelined by a lower-back issue since July and was already a major doubt for the series opener against England, which starts on November 21.
CA said in a statement that Cummins had now resumed running and would be back bowling soon, offering hope the 32-year-old might be fit to take part in the second day-night test in Brisbane from December 4.
While losing the captain and top fast bowler for the opening test of a high-profile series, Australia have had plenty of time to make contingency plans as the nation has sweated on the fitness of Cummins.
Even if the squad for the series has not been announced yet, Scott Boland is almost certain to replace him in the bowling attack alongside Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc at Perth Stadium.
Boland has had infrequent opportunities at test level over the years given Australia’s depth in the fast-bowling department, but he has more often than not produced when called upon.
The 36-year-old is particularly effective on Australia’s hard decks and has taken 62 wickets at an average of 16.53 in his 14 previous tests.
Cummins has been an ever-present in the Australia side for Ashes clashes since his first test against England in the 2017-18 series, helping Australia first win back and then retain the urn ever since.
Smith, who was sacked as captain in 2018 for his part in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal, has led the team six times in the absence of Cummins since his rehabilitation.
Australia also play tests against England in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney around the New Year as they look to retain the Ashes urn.

LYON: Afonso Moreira scored a spectacular last-minute winner to hand Lyon a valuable 2-1 home victory in Ligue 1 against 10-man Strasbourg on Sunday.
Liam Rosenior’s youthful side took the lead at the Groupama Stadium through Joaquin Panichelli before Ismael Doukoure turned through his own net and then received a straight red card for a dangerous tackle.
Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso missed a first-half penalty for the hosts as it seemed the chance for them to go into the top four had gone begging.
However, substitute Moreira’s late heroics sent Lyon fourth on 18 points, while Strasbourg sit seventh, two points behind their opponents.
“It was important to win after the last two matches . There is pride in having rediscovered our team spirit,” Lyon assistant coach Jorge Maciel said.
A win would have sent the visitors into second place behind reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who won 3-0 at Brest on Saturday.
Strasbourg went in front on 25 minutes when Argentine forward Panichelli glanced in a header at the end of an excellent team move.
But the lead lasted only six minutes as the unfortunate Doukoure deflected a Malick Fofana cross into his own goal.
Lyon then had a golden opportunity to go ahead when the referee adjudged Valentin Barco to have caught Corentin Tolisso in the box — the official sticking with his original decision after an on-pitch VAR review.
Goalkeeper Mike Penders profited from the break in play to consult the Strasbourg backroom staff’s notes and duly denied Tolisso from the spot with his legs in the 42nd minute to keep the scores level at the break.
VAR was again at the center of the drama midway through the second period when Doukoure’s day went from bad to worse as his yellow card for a tackle from behind on Fofana was upgraded to a red.
The stricken Belgian was stretchered from the pitch after suffering an injury to his ankle, with Maciel later saying Fofana had been taken to hospital.
“He’s having X-rays done, but for now, we don’t really know. Judging by the images, it doesn’t look good,” the Portuguese said.
Down to 10, Strasbourg showed resilience to keep the hosts at bay and looked set to eke out a good point away from home.
But there was a final twist in the tale as Fofana’s replacement, Moreira, grabbed all three points for Lyon in the 91st minute with a superb curling finish from the left of the box into the far top corner.

Earlier, Lille produced a barnstorming second half to thump bottom-side Metz 6-1.
Goals by Hamza Igamane and Felix Correia had the hosts in charge by the interval before Bruno Genesio’s side ran in four goals in the second period.
Correia doubled up eight minutes after the break and then Romain Perraud, Benjamin Andre and Hakon Haraldsson netted as Lille moved up to fifth.
Ibou Sane scored a consolation goal deep into injury time for winless Metz.
“We’re just not good enough,” Metz midfielder Gauthier Hein said.
“What we’re doing on the pitch isn’t enough against this kind of team. They’re running rings around us, we just don’t have the answers.”
Rennes thought they had nabbed a 93rd-minute leveller at home to Nice but an offside in the build-up to Mohamed Kader Meite’s goal meant the match finished 2-1 to the visitors.
Angers climbed out of the relegation zone courtesy of a 2-0 victory over 16th-placed Lorient with two 18-year-olds in Prosper Peter and Sidiki Cherif doing the damage for the hosts.
Auxerre took their place in the drop zone following a 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Le Havre.