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Pat Cummins out of Bangladesh tour with stress fracture

by Sandeep Shivam Thursday 24 September 2015

$Pat Cummins out of Bangladesh tour with stress fracture$

Pat Cummins has been ruled out of his team's upcoming tour of Bangladesh with a stress fracture in his lower back.

©REUTERS / Action Images

Australian fast-bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of his team's upcoming tour of Bangladesh with a stress fracture in his lower back.

Cummins made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2011 and took seven wickets to set up a thrilling two-wicket win for Australia.

That debut game against South Africa remains the only Test appearance for Cummins, who has also featured in 18 One-Day Internationals and 15 Twenty20 Internationals.

The 22-year-old, who has been weighed down by injuries throughout his career, missed the entire 2012-13 domestic season owing to a similar stress fracture.

A return to first-class cricket in July 2013 was short-lived as the injury recurred, ruling Cummins out of the first half of the 2013-14 Australian domestic season.

Earlier this year, Cummins was called up to the Ashes squad as the replacement for the retired Ryan Harris, but did not feature in the Test series, although he played against England in the limited overs series that followed.

Cricket Australia physiotherapist David Beakley disclosed that Cummins had suffered from lower back pain in the final ODI at Old Trafford against England.

Beakley also elaborated that scans revealed an early stage stress fracture which will need a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

“Pat Cummins experienced lower back pain during the last ODI match in the UK and this pain continued upon his return to Australia," he said.

“He subsequently underwent an MRI scan yesterday which unfortunately has revealed a new early stage lumbar bone stress fracture.

“Consequently Pat will be unable to participate in the Bangladesh Test series and will now enter into a lengthy rehabilitation program.”

All-rounder James Faulkner, who enjoyed a productive season with Lancashire, has been named as the replacement for the injured Cummins.

Chairman of selectors Rod Marsh felt that it was unfortunate to lose out on Cummins for the Bangladesh tour.

“This is really unfortunate for Pat and I know how disappointed he will be.

"He is a young bowler with a bright future for Australia and we were really pleased with how he bowled in the UK.”

Nevertheless, Marsh is of the view that Faulkner will be the right fit in the sub-continent conditions in Bangladesh.

“We have opted to replace him (Cummins) with James Faulkner.

“James comes back into the Australia Test side having only played the one Test, but he is an exciting young bowler who could be very handy in the conditions we are likely to see in Bangladesh.”

With 12 wickets under his belt, Cummins was the highest wicket-taker in the recently concluded five-match ODI series against England, which Australia won 3-2.