Battling back injury, Cummins vows to do 'whatever it takes' for Ashes return

SYDNEY: Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins has said he would do "whatever it takes" to play the high-profile Ashes, even as he battles a back injury which he likely to have picked up due to an uptick in workload during the World Test Championship Final against South Africa earlier this year.

The 32-year-old quick, who will miss the upcoming white-ball games against New Zealand and India and also the Sheffield Shield matches in the run-up to the Ashes, is hopeful he would recover in time for the opening Test in Perth beginning November 21.

"I'm never going to go into a Test match unless you think you can finish the Test match," Cummins told cricket.com.au on Wednesday.

"But when you're 18 or 19, you're like, 'Let's make sure this the perfect rehab whether it takes an extra six months'. Whereas, I'm happy to be a bit like, 'Well, it's an Ashes series, whatever it takes to play it'.

"Then, say, at the end, if you're still not 100 per cent and you need to then have a bit of a break next year...there's not another Ashes series," said Cummins, amplifying the importance of the series against England.

Medical scans have revealed a lower-back issue that has continued to trouble the stalwart even weeks after the Test series against the West Indies.

Cummins is currently on a restricted regimen in the gym and will not be risked over the coming weeks to ensure the back issue gets resolved.

He has a history of injuries, including persistent back issues and an ankle problem that made him miss the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

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