Fast bowler Pat Cummins has once again suffered a stress fracture in his back and will be replaced by allrounder James Faulkner in Australia’s squad for the two-Test series in Bangladesh in October.
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His latest injury is another devastating setback, especially as he appeared to be returning to his best form during the one-day leg of Australia’s United Kingdom tour. “He subsequently underwent an MRI scan yesterday which unfortunately has revealed a new early stage lumbar bone stress fracture”, Cricket Australia physiotherapist David Beakley said in a statement.
The Sydney-born ace burst onto the scene four years ago and made his Test debut against South Africa in 2011 but, incredibly, that remains his only five-day game to date.
Cummins faces a lengthy layoff for recovery and rehabilitation with a similar injury during the 2012-13 season ruling him out of the entire home summer.
All-rounder James Faulkner has been now named as his replacement for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh starting October 9 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. In fact, his last match for Australia in any format was the 2015 ICC World Cup Final, in which he was awarded the Man of the Match.
Australia suffered a blow ahead of their tour to Bangladesh.
“I didn’t know it was Pat [Cummins]”.
“I think it will open the door a little bit for him, but we’ll just have to wait and see what 11 they want to go with but, yeah, I think it does open it up a little bit more for him”, he said.
Faulkner returns to the national set-up having missed the ODI series in England after he was charged with drink-driving in Manchester in July.
“He is a young bowler with a bright future for Australia and we were really played with how he bowled in the UK”.
SQUAD: Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, James Faulkner, Andrew Fekete, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Steve O’Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitch Starc.
Faulkner is a crucial member of Australia’s limited-overs teams but his only Test experience came in the series-ending Ashes Test at the Oval in 2013.
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“He is an exciting young bowler who could be very handy in the conditions we are likely to see in Bangladesh”, said Marsh.
