Ashes 2025: Pat Cummins Skips South Africa White-Ball Series to Focus on Ashes Preparation
Australia’s Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins will miss the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa, as he prioritizes fitness and preparation for the much-anticipated Ashes series later this year. Cummins, who has already been rested from the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies, will now shift his attention to a focused training block over the next few weeks.
Speaking to reporters, Cummins explained that while he won’t be bowling immediately, the next six weeks will involve intensive gym work and physical conditioning. “My body feels pretty good, but there are always little bits and pieces you try to get right,” he said. He also hinted that his schedule may include matches against New Zealand, India, and possibly a Sheffield Shield game ahead of the Australian home summer.
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Cummins has led Australia only twice in ODIs since lifting the 2023 World Cup, and he also missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year due to an ankle issue he managed during the Test series against India. His decision to skip the South Africa tour is seen as a strategic move to be in peak condition for the Ashes.
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who was originally part of the squad for South Africa, will also return home after the Test series. In his place, Xavier Bartlett has been called up. Bartlett has had an impressive start to his T20I career, taking 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 14.72. He has also been a standout in the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament in the U.S., leading the wicket-taking charts while playing for the San Francisco Unicorns.
Joining Bartlett in the squad is Jake Fraser-McGurk, who replaces Spencer Johnson. Johnson is currently recovering from a back injury sustained during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Fraser-McGurk, also a Unicorns player, showed promise early in the MLC but struggled in the latter stages, scoring four single-digit scores in his last five innings. He has 113 runs from seven T20Is, including a top score of 50 against Scotland last year. His recent form in the IPL with the Delhi Capitals was underwhelming, averaging just 9.16, and his Big Bash League season with the Melbourne Renegades was also modest, barring a 95-run knock in the final game.
Meanwhile, the early rounds of the upcoming Sheffield Shield season are expected to play a crucial role in shaping Australia’s Test squad for the Ashes. Young batter Sam Konstas has two innings left against the West Indies to strengthen his case, while veteran Usman Khawaja faces similar pressure to prove his form. Cameron Green, fresh from a second-innings half-century in Grenada, is likely to feature in the South Africa series before focusing on regaining full bowling fitness.
Green remains part of the T20I squad in the West Indies, Konstas is expected to play in the Australia A tour of India in September, and Khawaja may not return to action until the Queensland domestic season begins.
Cummins emphasized the importance of domestic and A-team cricket in building the Test squad, saying, “There’s a lot of Shield cricket to come and some Aussie A stuff as well. If you do well at Test level, it’s always going to make your case more compelling.”
The T20I series against the West Indies begins on July 20, with the first two matches scheduled at Sabina Park in Jamaica, followed by three more in St Kitts.
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