A lumbar bone stress in his lower back has resulted in Pat Cummins ruled out of the T20I series against New Zealand and the India-Australia white ball series in October-November 2025. Cummins will be hoping to be fit before the much-awaited Ashes series against England, which kicks off on November 21 in Perth. However, it will certainly be a race against time for the Australian captain, as the home side prepares to retain the urn. The replacement for Pat Cummins as a captain and player in ODIs will be a difficult decision for the selectors, irrespective of roster strength.

Reasons for Pat Cummins Ruled Out of India-Australia White Ball Series

It all started during the Test series against West Indies in June-July this year, where Australia claimed a 3-0 whitewash victory. Meanwhile, Pat Cummins contributed with eight wickets and 87 runs. Cummins complained of lower back pain following the Test series against the Caribbean side. This came after he was already rested for the T20I series against West Indies and the white-ball series against South Africa in the build-up to the Ashes.

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Australia remains optimistic that Pat Cummins will be fit for the #Ashes opener, despite being diagnosed with lumbar bone stress: https://t.co/ysGTX5quWr pic.twitter.com/vMrOcxa7IA

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 2, 2025

When the discomfort stayed longer, Pat Cummins went for a routine scan on Monday (September 1). The scans revealed bone stress, but he is cleared of any fracture, which might allow him to get fit before the Ashes. As per chair of selectors George Bailey, injury management procedures will be followed along with rehabilitation to help Cummins prepare for his comeback for the Ashes.

Pat Cummins’ back injury has ruled him out of Australia’s white-ball series against New Zealand and India, with Cricket Australia saying the issue ‘will require further management’ ahead of the Ashes… pic.twitter.com/BN1ERyde3a

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) September 2, 2025

Cummins bowled the most overs (167) for Australia in their Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 victory over India. Due to the ankle injury sustained during the series, he missed the 2025 Champions Trophy. Steve Smith was announced as a captaincy replacement for Pat Cummins. With just 11 weeks left for the Ashes, the Aussie captain will miss the New Zealand series and the India-Australia white ball series. He is expected to participate in a solitary Sheffield Shield game to get some competitive cricket under his belt.

Who Can Be the Potential Replacement for Pat Cummins?

In the absence of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will be the key pacers for the home side in the India-Australia white-ball series. Also, the return of fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green and the availability of Beau Webster will fuel the team’s confidence. However, the selectors will look to name a backup pacer after Pat Cummins ruled out of the white-ball action. Let’s take a look at two players who can be included in the squads for the New Zealand and India series.

Nathan Ellis

Nathan Ellis has become a regular in Australia’s white-ball side in recent months. He picked six wickets in five T20Is against West Indies, and then took three wickets in a solitary T20I game against South Africa. He then bagged two wickets in three ODIs against the Proteas outfit.

Ben Dwarshuis

Ben Dwarshuis was the most successful bowler in the Australia-West Indies T20I series with eight wickets and best figures of 4/36. He then picked up seven wickets across four games in the white-ball series against South Africa. While offering a left-arm pace and consistency, Dwarshius seems to be a valuable addition to the India-Australia white ball series.

Cummins’ Absence in the Ashes Will Be Difficult for Australia

If Pat Cummins isn’t fit enough to play the Ashes opener in Perth, it might prove to be a difficult task for Australia, as they hope to retain the urn. Along with his right-arm pace and captaincy, Cummins could be a useful contributor with the bat as well.

🚨 PAT CUMMINS RULED OUT OF THE ODI & T20I SERIES AGAINST INDIA 🚨

– A Huge Blow for Australia….!!!! pic.twitter.com/V5bSzqbUfW

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 2, 2025

Steve Smith has led Australia on six occasions since returning to vice-captaincy in 2021 in the absence of Pat Cummins. He captained the Aussie side to a 2-0 whitewash victory over Sri Lanka earlier this year. However, things will be different against a potent England side, who will be employing their Bazball tactics to dominate the opposition. Scott Boland will be an automatic replacement for Pat Cummins as the third pacer, along with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Boland has climbed to seventh place in the ICC Test rankings and is a proven performer.

However, Pat Cummins ruled out of the entire Ashes could be a big blow to Australia in their ability to ace crunch moments. The 32-year-old has that uncanny ability to secure crucial breakthroughs and stitch partnerships with the batters to help the Aussies achieve glory in the longest format. Under the captaincy of Cummins, Australia have reached the WTC Final in the last two editions (2021-2023 and 2023-2025). The last Ashes series in Australia took place in 2021-22 and witnessed the Cummins-led side winning 4-0. Meanwhile, both sides played out a 2-2 draw last time out in England. It will be interesting to see if Pat Cummins ruled out of the Ashes, can contain Australia’s dominance in the fiercely contested series against England.