AUS vs SA 2025: Pat Cummins to miss South Africa white-ball series as part of his build-up towards Ashes

Australia’s Test captain and ODI skipper, Pat Cummins, will skip the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa in August as part of his preparation for the iconic Ashes series later this year. The decision was taken considering the workload management and long-term fitness goals.

Having already been rested from the ongoing five-match T20I series against the West Indies, Cummins will now extend his break from international white-ball cricket. The pacer revealed that the next few weeks will be dedicated to a focused training period, primarily involving gym work rather than bowling.

"I'll have a good training block for the next couple of months, six weeks or so. Probably not bowling, but lots of gym work. [My] body feels pretty good, but there are always little bits and pieces you're always trying to get right and then build up for the summer. So it'll probably look like white-ball [cricket]…we've got some [matches against] New Zealand, India, potentially a Shield game and then into the home summer," Cummins told reporters at Sabina Park.

While the star pacer will sit out the South Africa tour, which features three T20Is and three ODIs across Darwin, Cairns, and Mackay, he has signaled a potential return in early October for a short T20I tour of New Zealand. He may also feature in some of the limited-overs matches against India, and potentially a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales in the lead-up to the Ashes.

Despite being Australia’s ODI captain, Cummins has only led the team twice since their 2023 World Cup win. His limited appearances have largely been due to managing an ankle issue, which also kept him out of the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

Josh Hazlewood to return home after West Indies Test series

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who was initially named in the squad for the South Africa tour, will also return home after the Test series. Xavier Bartlett, who bagged 11 wickets from seven T20Is, has been named as a replacement. Bartlett is currently the leading wicket-taker in the MLC 2025, representing the San Francisco Unicorns.

The selectors have also called up Jake Fraser-McGurk in place of Spencer Johnson, who is recovering from back soreness sustained during the IPL. Fraser-McGurk had a mixed MLC campaign and a lean IPL. The Sheffield Shield and Australia A tour of India in September are expected to be platforms for players looking to secure spots for the Ashes.