Australia has suffered a big blow in its hopes of keeping the Ashes in the upcoming home Test series against England. Captain Pat Cummins is injured. The 32-year-old has a stress injury in his back, and recovery may take longer than expected.

Latest reports say Cummins will almost certainly miss the Ashes opener in Perth on November 21. He may even miss most or all of the series. Steve Smith will take over as captain if Cummins cannot play.

Cummins missed the recent T20I series in New Zealand and will also miss the upcoming home white-ball series against India. He has been Australia’s most valuable Test cricketer, taking 309 wickets at an average of 22.10. Cummins has also led the team well, helping Australia reach the last two World Test Championship finals and win one in 2023.

Australia has strong fast-bowling options. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland are almost certain to be in the Ashes squad. Other players have also impressed in recent domestic red-ball matches.

Here are three fast-bowling options who could replace Pat Cummins in the 2025-26 Ashes if the Australian captain is ruled out.

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1. Michael Neser

South African-born Michael Neser knows how to play in a home Ashes series. He debuted for Australia in the 2021 home Ashes. However, the 35-year-old has played only two red-ball games for Australia despite being in contention for a long time.

Neser has been in great form in domestic red-ball cricket. He took six wickets in Queensland’s 2025-26 Sheffield Shield opener against Tasmania. In the 2024-25 season, he took 31 wickets in seven matches at an average of 20.90, including two 5-wicket hauls.

Neser also troubled India A’s top order, taking the wickets of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Devdutt Padikkal, with a spell of 4/27 for Australia A.

Neser can also bat well, making him a good replacement for Cummins at No. 8. He has 405 wickets in 114 first-class matches at an average of 23.74 and averages 28.54 with the bat.

2. Henry Thornton

South Australia’s Henry Thornton has impressed in domestic cricket over the past year. The 28-year-old bowled well for Australia A in their recent red-ball series against India A.

After missing the first game, Thornton took four wickets in the first innings of the second unofficial Test, finishing with 4/36 in 10 overs. He also bowled well in the home series against Sri Lanka A in July.

In the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield season, Thornton took 17 wickets in four games at an average of 23.33. He can also bat well, averaging over 20 in first-class cricket, making him a strong option to replace Cummins.

3. Brendan Doggett

Queensland pacer Brendan Doggett, 31, has been performing well in red-ball cricket. He has 177 wickets in 14 first-class matches at an average of 27.32.

Doggett showed excellent form in the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield season, taking 33 wickets in seven matches at an average of 24.15, with four 5-wicket hauls. He also impressed in Australia A’s red-ball game against England Lions in early 2025, taking 4/50, and in the unofficial Australia A-India A Test with 6/16 in the first innings.

Doggett’s ability to deliver match-winning spells makes him a strong candidate to replace Pat Cummins.

Australia A’s Michael Neser put on an impressive performance against India A in the second unofficial Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, only to be struck by injury midway through his fiery spell. The seamer made an instant impact with the ball, reducing India A to a precarious 4-0 within the first three overs of the day. His exceptional opening spell was capped by a sensational double-wicket maiden, taking the wickets of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan in quick succession. Following that, Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed cheaply, leaving India A in deep trouble early in their innings.

Neser’s brilliant spell derailed by injury

However, in the midst of his remarkable performance, disaster struck. After sending down just 12 deliveries in his 13th over, Neser felt discomfort in his left hamstring. Cricket Australia confirmed that he would not take any further part in the game. The injury cut short a blistering performance that had put India A on the backfoot, leaving Australia A in a strong position.

Can Neser recover in time for Border-Gavaskar trophy?

Despite the early injury, there remains hope for Neser’s participation in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It is highly unlikely that he will feature in the series opener in Perth, as the gap between the first and second Tests is just 10 days. However, this short recovery window could allow Neser to recover and be available for the remainder of the series. Furthermore, his inclusion could help manage the workload of Australia’s key pacers like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

This is not the first time Neser has struggled with injury. A similar issue occurred during his last Sheffield Shield appearance, leading to his absence from a One-Day Cup match soon after. At the time, he attributed the discomfort to running on an outfield made harder by extra sand due to the Australian Football season. His claims were supported by fellow bowlers Mitchell Starc and Sean Abbott, both of whom have faced similar issues with cramps and heavy legs.

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Despite the injury setback, Australia A finished Day 1 on top, dismissing India A for just 161 runs. The early breakthroughs from Neser, though cut short, were pivotal in the collapse of India A's top order. In response, Australia A had some early setbacks with the dismissals of Nathan McSweeney and Cameron Bancroft, but they were still in a strong position, ending the day 108 runs behind with eight wickets in hand.

While Michael Neser’s injury is a blow to Australia A's progress in the second unofficial Test, the team remains hopeful that he will recover in time for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His superb performance against India A showcased his potential to be a key player in Australia’s fast-bowling attack. With a 10-day gap before the second Test, there’s a possibility that Neser could return, ensuring his place in the squad to help Australia compete at the highest level. In the meantime, Australia A will look to capitalize on their strong position and complete a dominant performance against India A.