Australia's Ashes Test Captain Pat Cummins Out Due to Back Injury

Australia captain Pat Cummins, 32, will miss the first Ashes Test against England after failing to recover from a back injury in time, according to Cricket Australia. Former skipper Steve Smith will lead the Australian team in Cummins' absence, having previously stood in for Cummins six times. Cummins is expected to return to bowling shortly, with the aim of making the second Test in Brisbane, but will not be up to speed in time for the opening Test on November 21.

Key Takeaways:

Pat Cummins, Australia's captain, will miss the first Ashes Test due to a back injury, with the opening match scheduled for November 21.
Former skipper Steve Smith will take over as captain in Cummins' absence, having previously led the team for three years until his ban after a ball-tampering scandal.
Cummins is expected to return to bowling shortly, with the aim of making the second Test in Brisbane, beginning on December 4.
Scott Boland, a 36-year-old fast bowler, is likely to replace Cummins in Australia's bowling attack, alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Vice-captain Steve Smith has stood in for Cummins six times previously, showcasing his leadership experience.
The opening Ashes Test will begin in Perth on November 21, without Pat Cummins, who is awaiting recovery.
Pat Cummins had initially aimed to be back bowling at least four weeks before the series began but will now focus on making the second Test in Brisbane.

Statistics:

32: The age of Australian captain Pat Cummins.
6: The number of times Steve Smith has stood in for Pat Cummins as captain.
3: The number of years Steve Smith led the Australian team until his ban.
4: Decembers 4: The date the second Ashes Test will begin.
36: The age of Scott Boland, the likely replacement for Pat Cummins in the Australian bowling attack.
21: The date the first Ashes Test will begin.

Sources:

Cricket Australia
PA Wire/PA Archive/Danny Lawson/PA (photography)