Aussie captain Pat Cummins played final Ashes Test with a suspected broken wrist putting him in doubt for white ball tours of South Africa and India
- Cummins injured it Day one of Fifth Test
- Australia will get a new captain for ODI in September
- Cummins may rejoin squad in October
Australia’s Test cricket captain Pat Cummins may have played an incredibly brave hand in the final Ashes Test match after it seems he broke his wrist while fielding.
Cummins will get scans on his troublesome hand which he hurt trying to affect a run out on day one of the final Test.
He was sore throughout the Test which adds enormous merit to his 150-minute stand when batting in the first innings.
Though the injury did not appear to have an impact on Cummins’ bowling, he did look to be batting in discomfort, for his fighting 36 off 86 balls to steer Australia to a slender first innings lead.
Cummins, when questioned about the strapping that appeared on his wrist on day two, attempted to play it down.
Pat Cummins (pictured) bravely soldiered on without telling anyone that his left wrist may have been broken on day one of the final Ashes Test
Cummins (on right) with Ben Stokes, batted and bowled the whole Fifth Test with a suspected broken left wrist
‘I landed on my wrist on day one in the field going for a run-out. It’s pretty sore,’ is all Cummins said after day two of the fifth Test of the Ashes.
‘We’ll get it assessed over the next few days and work out if anything needs to happen.’
The heavy work load the skipper endured these past few months amounting to six Tests on the trot, combined with this injury, will sideline the star all-rounder from national duties until October.
Which opens the door for several team changes in the upcoming T20 and ODI series of India and South Africa.
Injury did not stop the skipper celebrating an Ashes series win with his teammates some of whom will not be touring South Africa and India in upcoming white ball series
Big hitting all-rounder Mitch Marsh (pictured) is a major candidate to take over the white ball captaincy with Cummins unavailable
Cricket Australia will as early as Monday name squads for those upcoming white-ball series abroad, starting in September with Test superstar Marnus Labuschagne likely to be rested.
The Aussie squads leave later this month for three Twenty20s and five one-day internationals in South Africa, then fly to India for three more ODIs, and official warm-up games before their World Cup starts with a clash against the host nation on October 8.
The resurgent Test form of West Aussie Mitch Marsh may well land him the coveted job of captain of these squads.
His swashbuckling style lends itself to leading a national side. Steve Smith is also in the frame for the top job.
Selectors will likely hold off any decision on a long-term successor to Aaron Finch, who has retired.
If Cummins is well-rested and healed by the start of October he could join the squad in India for the T20 series.