Overburdened Pat Cummins bowled over by workload! His injury is a wake-up call for Australia

Pat Cummins doubtful for Ashes series due to injury [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]

Pat Cummins, one of the most successful Test captains for Australia, is reportedly doubtful for the Ashes 2025 series, and without a doubt, this was a long time coming.

Cummins sustained a back stress fracture during the West Indies tour and has been in rehabilitation ever since. 

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the skipper’s latest scans are not promising, and he has been ruled out of the first Test against England scheduled at Perth on November 21.

Not only that, but it is widely speculated that Cummins could miss the entire Ashes series in what could be a huge blow to Australia.

Pat Cummins cannot carry Australia on his back anymore

(Table: Pat Cummins' Test stats since 2023)

Those who have followed Pat Cummins’ journey in Test cricket closely would know that the captain was approaching his breaking point, and a serious injury was more or less on the cards.

Australia’s worst nightmare came true in 2025, and it's just the tip of the iceberg. Cummins, since accepting the Test captaincy in 2021, has been Australia’s most overworked fast bowler.

(Table: Most overs bowled in Test cricket since 2023)

Since 2023, he has bowled 721.2 overs in Test cricket, the highest among pacers. Only spinners like Prabath Jayasuriya, Nathan Lyon and Ravindra Jadeja have bowled more overs than Cummins in this time frame.

Among Australians with the most overs bowled since 2023 in Tests, Cummins tops the list, having bowled 56.1 overs more than second-place holder Mitchell Starc (665.1).

This is a clear sign of the excessive workload that Pat Cummins had to endure in addition to being a captain and lower-order batter.

Pat Cummins is a victim of the unsustainable cricketing calendar

Pat Cummins has relentlessly played almost every series in the last World Test Championship Cycles. He is 32, and, like every other ageing athlete, his body has begun to give up.

Moreover, Cummins’ back stress injury did not happen overnight. It is the culmination of years of relentless cricket across formats, Test, ODI, and T20, often minimal time for recovery.

The modern cricket schedule is brutal, with cricketers being asked to be at their best nearly all the time. For fast bowlers such as Pat Cummins, who demand tremendous physical exertion, this can prove really demanding. Bowling long spells during Tests, then ODIs and T20s, lays heavy stress on the back, shoulders, and knees.

The fact that a bowler of Pat’s calibre is now forced to miss marquee fixtures indicates the unsustainable pace at which elite cricketers are being pushed.

Cricket Australia must rethink its workload management strategy

Cricket Australia, meanwhile, should treat Cummins’ injury as a case study to figure out how they can manage their pace attack. They’ve the privilege of producing quality fast bowlers, and hence, overreliance on a couple of players is not the way forward.

Yes, Cummins is the skipper and cannot pick and choose games in a long Test series. However, prioritising player health is no longer optional; it is essential for sustainable success. 

This comprises more cautious rotation protocols, tracking bowling workloads, and allowing plenty of recovery time between formats.

Leadership, while prestigious, adds to the workload, as captains are expected to strategise, motivate, and doing all at once. Australia must consider splitting these roles or providing additional support to prevent burnout.

Conclusion

Pat Cummins' lumbar stress condition is a clear indicator that the reliance of Australia on its 'Big Three' fast bowlers cannot be sustained.

Losing their captain and spearhead, possibly for the entire Ashes, suggests a systemic flaw in workload management. 

While Cummins' determination is admirable, Cricket Australia must stop prioritising immediate success over a player's longevity. They need to proactively nurture a deeper, rotation-ready pace battery or risk burning out their most valuable assets for good.

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