With under six weeks remaining until the opening Ashes Test in Perth, Australia’s captain and spearhead fast bowler Pat Cummins has conceded that his prospects of playing are slim, saying he is “less likely than likely” to take the field. On Monday, Cummins confirmed he has now resumed running but emphasised he is still a considerable distance from match fitness following a lumbar back stress injury.

"I'd say probably less likely than likely. But we've still got a bit of time," Cummins said while speaking to reporters at a Fox event.

"I'm running today and running kind of every second day, and each runs a little bit longer, and then we get into bowling prep next week. So I'm probably a couple of weeks away before actually putting on the spikes and bowling out on the turf. But it's been a good couple of weeks. Each session feels better and better."

However, Cummins has not yet resumed bowling or any turf sessions. Cummins will at least need a minimum of four weeks of training to get into his bowling rhythm.

“You want at least a month in the nets, getting used to it. If you’re going to play a Test match you want to make sure you’re right to bowl 20 overs a day and you don’t have to really think about it. Four weeks is pretty tight but somewhere around that mark.”

Cummins said he experienced a series of emotions. 

“Some days I’m kind of annoyed because it’s the Ashes and it’s a big summer and then other days I’m realistic that I’ve had the last seven or eight years almost uninterrupted home summers,” he said.

“So I felt like I’ve had a really good run as a fast bowler. Joshy [Hazlewood’s] missed both the last couple times, he’s been a bit unlucky so maybe it’s my turn. With such a big summer ahead you want to be in the mix and with the Indian one-day series and T20 series I wish I was part of that, but it’s not to be, it’s part of cricket," he said.