Two key Aussie players ruled out of Pakistan Tests

Australia could be in for more trouble in Tests as two of their frontline fast bowlers – Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood – have been ruled out of their upcoming Test series against Pakistan in October. The Baggy Greens are scheduled to play two Tests, five ODIs and one T20I against the Asian side in the UAE. The absence of the two quicks will hurt chances of the team which has already been plagued by the ban on two of their premier batsmen – Steve Smith and David Warner.

Both Cummins, 25, and Hazlewood, 27, are undergoing rehabilitation for their back injuries, according to team physio David Beakley, who added that the duo will not be in the match-fit mode during the Test series. This also gives Pakistan a golden opportunity to win against an opponent they haven’t beaten in Tests since 2014-15.

“Pat and Josh are progressing well from their lumbar bone stress injuries but are not bowling, so, unfortunately, they will not be at the level required for Test match intensity come October,” Beakley said.

“Barring any setbacks, we are hopeful that Pat and Josh will return via the back-end of the JLT One-Day Cup, with the aim of them being available for the ODI Series against South Africa in November as they build towards the Indian Test Series.” India will play a four-Test series in Australia in December 2018-January 2019.

Starc likely to play

Beakley, however, was hopeful of Mitchell Starc playing the Test series. He informed that the  left-arm seamer was back to “unrestricted training” and his recovery was on the track for the two-game series against Pakistan. Starc himself was is also hopeful about travelling to the UAE.

While 14-Test-old Cummins is out of action since sustaining an injury after that fateful Test series in South Africa earlier this year, the 40-Test veteran Hazlewood is missing action since he was ruled out of Australia’s ODI squad that toured England in June.

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