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Australia captain Pat Cummins has admitted that his involvement in the opening Ashes Test appears unlikely due to persistent fitness concerns.

Recent reports from Australia had indicated that Cummins might be ruled out of the entire series, though the pace bowler himself has now provided a more comprehensive update on his condition.

Injury Timeline

The veteran cricketer has been battling with a spinal issue that has kept him sidelined since his last competitive match in July.

While Cummins has restarted running exercises, he has yet to begin bowling as part of his recovery program.

"It's difficult to assign a percentage on it, but my assessment is probably less likely than likely," commented Cummins. "My bowling preparation begins next week, so approximately a couple of weeks away from actually putting on the spikes and bowling out on turf."

Bowling Preparation

Team mentor Andrew McDonald had previously indicated that Cummins would need a bare minimum of four weeks of bowling preparation to have any opportunity of featuring in the first Test, set to begin on November 21.

Cummins echoed this assessment, explaining: "It's necessary to have at least probably a month in the nets. If you play a Test match, you want to make certain you're able to bowl 20 overs in a day without worry."

Series Implications

Given the compressed timeframe, there are also concerns about Cummins' availability for the following match in Brisbane on December 4.

Should Cummins be unavailable, former captain Steve Smith is likely to captain the side, with Scott Boland possibly filling the gap in the bowling attack.

The hosts have held the Ashes urn since 2018, while England are without a Test win in Australia since 2011.

Career Background

Cummins' current fitness issues echo challenges from earlier in his distinguished career. He made his Test debut as an 18-year-old in 2011 against South Africa, becoming the youngest-ever player to take a five-wicket haul in an innings at that time.

However, his impressive debut proved to be a misleading start, as Cummins experienced six years before his second Test appearance due to repeated stress fractures in his lower back.

Notable Accomplishments

When healthy, Cummins has established himself as one of cricket's premier fast bowlers. The 32-year-old has taken 309 Test dismissals at an impressive average of 22.10.

His record in Australia is even more formidable, with 177 wickets at 19.92, while he has claimed 91 wickets against England in just 19 matches.

In the latest Ashes series in 2023, Cummins played in all five Tests, taking 18 wickets and confirming his value to the Australian side.

As captain, Cummins enjoyed a glorious 2023, taking six wickets in Australia's victorious World Test Championship final and starring in their 50-over World Cup final win against India.

He remains the only leader in Test history to win the World Test Championship, World Cup, and an Ashes series.

Team Concerns

England also face their own injury worries with captain Ben Stokes, who has been affected by a shoulder injury since the Test series against India.

Both teams will be monitoring their key players closely as the much-anticipated Ashes series nears.