Canberra, Oct 27 Pat Cummins has been formally ruled out of the series opener against England in Perth with ex-skipper Steve Smith set to captain Australia in the series opener, scheduled from November 21.
Cummins, who had indicated he would like to have been back with bowling at least four weeks out from his return, has not yet resumed bowling as he continues to recover from the back stress injury he suffered in the tour to the Caribbean back in June
Smith, who has led Australia in 40 Test matches in his career, last donned the captain's hat for Australia in February this year in a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka.
Andrew McDonald is hopeful the 32-year-old pacer will be right for the second Test in Brisbane under lights, beginning December 4.
We've grappled with it for a little while," McDonald told reporters in Canberra. "The nature of the injury is that you never know and you're sort of taking it a day by day.
"We've run out of time. We flagged this a week or so ago that it will take four-plus weeks to get him up and running. We've run out of time unfortunately, but really optimistic and hopeful for the second Test match.
"He'll be back bowling this week, and that's a huge step. That was the big variable that we wanted to add in. We're on the journey to that that second Test match, and very hopeful that that will be a positive outcome."
McDonald also said that Cummins will travel to the Perth with the Test squad next month. ""
Patty will be around the group as well, he'll come to Perth … and it'll almost be one of those things where you'll see him and it'll almost be a question of, 'Why isn't he playing in Perth?' That's where we think he'll be placed by that that stage," said the coach.
McDonald further admitted that Scott Boland, who averages 12.63 with the ball at home, shapes as the likely replacement in the bowling attack for Perth in Cummins' absence.
"Losing your captain's not ideal, but when you talk about Scott Boland being the potential replacement, it's not a bad position to be in," said McDonald.
"Ideally, we want the captain available for stability and decision making. But Steve Smith will slide into that position," he added.
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