Australia's buildup to its extensive ODI series with India has taken a significant hit, with a number of key players unavailable for the opening matches. Already facing a quick schedule, the Australians are in a difficult position ahead of their first match in Perth on October 19. With skipper Pat Cummins and all-rounder Cameron Green both ruled out, the Australians will have to go into the first match with a relatively inexperienced team against a full-strength Indian team. The series was always going to be a significant trial before the home summer, but this run of injuries has already raised questions about Australia's squad depth and fitness levels.

Adding further injury to insult, wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis is now unavailable for the first two ODIs, while senior wicketkeeper Alex Carey and important spinner Adam Zampa are also unavailable for the first match. Zampa is a significant loss for the Australians, particularly given India's impressive record against pace at home and abroad. With Carey now unavailable, the Australians will need to recast their wicketkeeping and middle-order combinations, which will place greater pressure on players such as Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne to anchor the innings.

This unforeseen injury situation might result in the Australian management providing opportunities for fringe players and domestic performers. Players in the frame could include the likes of Matthew Short, Ben McDermott, and Aaron Hardie. The objective now will be to keep a balance in the side—a difficult task while playing in India given the need for flexibility and adaptation. 

🚨 AUSTRALIA IN BIG TROUBLE IN ODIs vs INDIA 🚨

- Pat Cummins ruled out.
- Cameron Green ruled out.
- Josh Inglis ruled out of the first 2 ODIs.
- Adam Zampa not available for the 1st ODI.
- Alex Carey not available for the 1st ODI. pic.twitter.com/MrP8KA0CT8

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 17, 2025

Also Read: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2025: OMN vs JPN Dream11 Prediction 20th Match

Selection Headache for Management

With several senior players missing, coach Andrew McDonald and the selectors have a real conundrum approaching the series. Identifying a combination of batting depth, all-rounders, and variety in the bowling attack will be crucial for Australia's competitiveness against a confident Indian side. The management may also decide to rest several more players in order to avoid aggravating injuries, thinking ahead to a busy home season involving Test and T20 series to play. 

Despite the absences, Australia has proven match-winners such as Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, and Josh Hazlewood, but pressure has increased on a combination of the leadership group and the young guns. Fans will be intrigued to see how the battered Australian side copes and responds to adversity against India in a fairly exciting ODI series. 

Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, will not be part of the three-match ODI series at home against India due to a back injury as he puts himself in the recovery road for the Ashes 2025-26. He highlighted that this 50-over series could be the last chance for the Australian fans to witness the former captains, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, with the opening game being scheduled on October 19 in Perth.

Virat Kohli and Rohit’s last competitive game came during the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. They both featured for India during the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium against New Zealand as they earned the title. That was the last time for them in the Blue Brigade before announcing their retirement from the longest format.

See Also: "Scared of selectors..."- Ajinkya Rahane drops bombshell on major overhaul in BCCI's selection system

“Virat and Rohit have been part of almost every Indian side for the last 15 years, so this might be the last chance for the Australian public to see them playing out here. They’ve obviously been champions of the game for India and are always very well supported. Whenever we play them, the crowd gets loud.” Cummins expressed during an interaction on JioHotstar.

Pat Cummins predicts last ODI series for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Australia

In the battles between Australia and India, Kohli and Rohit have earned success with the bat. Kohli is the second leading run-getter of the list with 2451 runs in 48 innings at an average of 54.46 and a strike rate of 93.69 with the help of eight centuries and 15 fifties. Rohit, on the other hand, has clubbed 2407 runs at an average of 57.30, thanks to eight hundreds and nine fifties.

“It’s a shame to miss the white-ball series against India. I think the crowds are going to be huge. There’s already a lot of excitement built up in Australia. So, whenever you miss a game, it’s disappointing. But missing a big series like this is always a bit harder to take.” Cummins shed light.

“It’s three matches you want to win, but it’s also about giving exposure to the younger guys coming through, particularly those who weren’t part of the last World Cup. The goal is try and play, and see what they can do.” The ODI World Cup-winning captain concluded.

Australia’s ODI World Cup-winning captain, Pat Cummins, will not feature in the upcoming three-match ODI series as he continues to recover from injury ahead of the five-match Test series against England in the Ashes 2025-26 at home. However, on Star Sports, in a recent interaction, Cummins has picked his all-time eleven for the clashes between the two sides.

Cummins has picked David Warner and Sachin Tendulkar as the two openers for the 50-over clashes. Tendulkar is the leading run-getter of the ODI format between these two teams’ battles with 3077 runs in 70 innings at an average of 44.59 and a strike rate of 84.71 with 15 fifties and nine centuries at the best score of 175. Warner has clubbed 1222 runs with three centuries and nine fifties.

See Also: [WATCH] Rohit Sharma sits together with Virat Kohli on team bus ahead of departure for AUS vs IND ODI series

Quite surprisingly, Cummins has ignored both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the list. The duo is respectively the second and third leading run-getters in ODIs during the head-to-head with 2451 runs and 2407 runs at an average of over 50.

Watch: Pat Cummins ignores Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from his all-time AUS vs IND ODI XI

At numbers three and four, Cummins has gone with Ricky Ponting and Steve Smith, besides adding Shane Watson and Michael Bevan in he eleven. The former World Cup-winning captain of the Indian side, MS Dhoni, will keep wickets in the side and is the fifth leading run-getter in this battle with two centuries and 11 fifties for his 1660 runs.

#PatCummins crafts his all-time AUS vs IND XI, handpicking the finest stars from past! 🤩

Share your ultimate playing XI in the comments using today’s stars! ⚡🏏#AUSvIND | 1st ODI | SUN, 19th OCT, 8 AM, on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/3KVZ7Ygtd7

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 15, 2025

In the bowling line, apart from India’s Zaheer Khan, Cummins has gone with Brett Lee, Shane Warne, and Glenn McGrath. Lee is the leading wicket-taker of the list with 55 wickets at an average of 21 with four five-wicket hauls.

Warne has only 15 wickets in 13 ODI innings at an average of around 35 against India. Cummins has still got him in the eleven. The upcoming ODI series will begin on October 19 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

Pat Cummins’ all-time IND vs AUS ODI XI

David Warner, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Michael Bevan, MS Dhoni (wk..), Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Zaheer Khan, and Glenn McGrath.

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.

Also Read -WATCH: Mohammed Siraj loses his cool on fans! Video Gone Viral

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.

Just when calls are made to privatize the Big Bash League (BBL), it has been revealed that the World Cup winning Australian captain, Pat Cummins, and his deputy, Travis Head, were offered nearly INR 58 crore ($10 million) a year to feature in the T20 Leagues around the world full time including the Indian Premier League (IPL) as it brings the fear of several early retirements. 

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that an IPL side made the offer this year, to which both Cummins and Travis Head rejected the offer as they cited their commitment to the national side. But the news of offers was discussed between Cricket Australia (CA), the state associations, and the players’ union as they look to privatize their franchise T20 leagues.

See Also: "Not about love for game..."- Former India star gives massive claim on crowd attendance during IND vs WI Ahmedabad Test

The top Australian players currently earn $1.5 million a year from their national contracts, while for Cummins, the price is $3 million due to his leadership responsibilities. The money from the BBL would increase the player salaries, which would also link the T20 league into a growing network globally.

Pat Cummins and Travis Head reject $10M to leave Australia for T20 leagues

Cummins’ auction value for the Sunrisers Hyderabad last year was around $3.7 million, while Head grabbed $1.2 million at the same team. The latter revealed his views on his SRH teammate, Heinrich Klassen’s decision to retire from international cricket and feature in franchise cricket only.

“I spent a lot of time with Klaasen over a period of time while he was making decisions. I don't think there's any written rule on what you should or shouldn't play or what you should or shouldn't give up. There's an idea of what people should think, and what they should do. Playing international cricket is the pinnacle. A lot of people hold it so high in regard, but some people don't.” Head expressed.

“What's happening in the world at the moment is people have opportunities to make those decisions, which we've never had [before]. So it's hard to knock someone who is making a decision in their own personal state and trying to get job satisfaction. Fair play.” The left-handed batter addressed.

Australia’s Test captain, Pat Cummins, will miss the opening Ashes 2025-26 Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth and could be away from all five encounters after a fresh round of scans revealed his back stress problem had not healed yet. The veteran, who was confident of regaining his full fitness and being prepared for the series opener on November 21, has no chance of reaching that stage. 

At this rate, Steve Smith is likely to lead the national side against Ben Stokes’ England. Even though the reports are confidential, the 32-year-old Australia pacer underwent a scan last week to assess his progress ahead of the summer and was informed that, although the hot spot has healed, he will not be able to bowl for the seven weeks.

See Also: Vaibhav Suryavanshi to be fast-tracked like Sachin Tendulkar? Rajasthan Royals' Director makes special request

The loss of Cummins with a back stress injury is a massive blow for the home side of retaining the Ashes urn that they have held since 2018. In that case, Scott Boland now looks certain to be the third seamer along with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in Perth, with new back-ups expected to come.

Pat Cummins to miss opening Ashes 2025-26 Test in Perth and uncertain for full series

England haven’t won a single red-ball clash on Australian soil since 2011 and will be given the strength that they would be facing Australia’s strongest leader and pacer. The best scenario for the New South Wales pacer will be to come back by the end of the Ashes. However, that also looks quite impossible in the tight schedule of the Australian side.

“That would be devastating. We’ll be doing everything we can to be right for that, [and] make a few decisions a little bit closer, but (I’m) confident we’ll do the rehab right and give it a good crack. This far out, it’s hard to know, but we’re trying to make sure we’re doing everything right to be right for Perth.” Cummins expressed a month ago in Brisbane when asked if there was any chance of missing Perth.

“I’ve had a really good run as fast bowling goes, and I’ve been really well looked after, which has got me through this many Tests. I’ve bowled a lot over the last few years; something was bound to happen at some point.” The NSW pacer is feared.

In recent years, Abhishek Sharma has made a remarkable impact in T20 cricket with his aggressive and fearless batting approach. Representing both Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Indian team, he has consistently demonstrated a take-charge style that keeps opponents on the back foot.

His stellar performance in the Asia Cup further highlighted his dominance, as he emerged as India’s top scorer with 314 runs in seven innings, earning the Player of the Tournament award. Abhishek’s ability to consistently deliver under pressure has become a hallmark of his game.

Reflecting on his success, Abhishek credited part of his attacking mindset to the trust and freedom granted by the SRH leadership, including captain Pat Cummins and coach Daniel Vettori. Their encouragement allowed him to play without hesitation and unleash his full potential with the bat.

See Also: Kapil Dev weighs in: Could 1983 World Cup heroes beat India’s 2025 Asia Cup T20 champions?

Abhishek Sharma Talks About his Attacking Mindset:

On the ‘Breakfast with Champions’ YouTube show, when asked about the impact of Pat Cummins and Daniel Vettori, as well as his opening partnership with Australia’s Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma shared his insights, highlighting how their guidance and collaboration shaped his aggressive yet composed approach at the crease.

He said, “ Travis Head, Pat Cummins and Daniel Vettori… I will tell you one thing about all of them. I could not have gotten a better environment (in an IPL team). Just imagine, we were once having our batting meeting, all batters were standing. Vettori asked us if we want to discuss any specific bowlers.”

He further said, “ We maybe spoke about one or two bowlers. Dan (Vettori) asked Pat if he wanted to say something. Pat got up and faced the five or six batters who were sitting together, ‘Who do you wanna hit? Let’s mark your bowlers. Hit, Hit, Hit’ he said pointing at us. That’s it, meeting over.”

"HIT, HIT,HIT"

Abhishek Sharma Reveals SRH & Pat Cummins Mindset While Batting 🔥🏏 pic.twitter.com/c1xdXFP1we

— Haydos🛡️ (@diablo_kells) October 2, 2025

He added, “ Cummins told us, ‘In this team, even if we are 50 for the loss of six wickets, the 7th batter should not feel the pressure. Marte hue out hona chahiye, darte hue nahi! (Get out while hitting a big shot, not while protecting your wicket).”

He continued, “ I am fine with the team being 100 all out, but I don’t want safe scores of 160 or 170.’ He wanted us to back each other and take all bowlers head-on. Cummins would also say: ‘Hit all six balls if you want, me and Dan are with you. But this is the brand of cricket I want. The teams should fear us.”

He concluded, “ And he only says one thing to the bowlers: ‘Batters are doing their job. If they score 250, our job is to just concede 249… We just need to win, even if it’s by one run… If we score 280 runs, you can concede 279, I don’t have a problem. In the end we should win, that’s all.”

Abhishek Sharma on his Connection with Travis Head: 

Abhishek Sharma reflected on his connection with SRH opening partner Travis Head, revealing that during his Punjab cricket days, he encouraged teammates to mimic Head’s aggressive batting, often leading to their dismissals. Fate then brought Head to the Hyderabad franchise, where the two finally teamed up, forming a dynamic and impactful opening partnership.

He said, “ Whenever I would ask Travis for a plan in the middle, he would just say one thing, ‘Just spot the fielders and try to hit above them or in spaces where there is no one.’ He would say, ‘If you are not able to middle it, then give me the strike.’ I would think, ‘Why should I give you the strike, I’ll also hit.’”

He added, “ That’s why we have such good bonding, because his mindset is also the same. I used to enjoy watching Travis bat so much, because if you see, he dominates in all three formats. Bowlers would be scared of him.”

He further said, “ When Head got picked by SRH before the 2024-2025 IPL season, I was so happy to see that. Then Dan messaged me, ‘Do you want to open the innings or bat one down?’ I was like, ‘How can I not take the opportunity of opening with Travis Head.’ I said, ‘I will open, please!”

On the eve of their T20I series against New Zealand, Australia have copped a major blow, with star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell ruled out with a right wrist fracture sustained in a training session in Mount Maunganui. 

The injury happened in the nets when Maxwell was rolling his arm over to Mitchell Owen, who smashed a ball straight back at Maxwell, hitting him flush on the wrist while the 36-year-old was in extreme pain. Maxwell withdrew from training, where he was later ruled out of the three-match series that commences Wednesday at Bay Oval. 

Teammate Matthew Short, who witnessed the incident, said it was a bad hit. “I just saw it out of the corner of my eye. Owen smoked it, then the aftermath was the ball hit maxi on the wrist. It didn’t sound good,” Short told cricket.com.au. “He’s done injuries before, he was disappointed but he’ll be fine.”

Cricket Australia announced that Maxwell will return home and consult a specialist in the next few days. The indication is he may recover in time for the Big Bash League in December, however his availability for the upcoming T20I series against India later this month, is still very much up in the air.

Another injury in an already injury hit period

With Maxwell unavailable, it only adds to Australia’s concerns, after already losing Josh Inglis with a calf injury, leading to Alex Carey being brought back into the fold. Australia also are without Cameron Green, who has turned his attention to Sheffield Shield cricket, ahead of the Ashes. Pat Cummins has been given some time off due to his ongoing lower back complaints, and Nathan Ellis, who is going to miss a couple of games because he stayed at home as his wife was having their first baby.

In recent years, Maxwell has been on the end of some unfortunate injuries, including a freak leg fracture whilst at a birthday party in 2022 and suffering a concussion after falling from a golf cart during the 2023 World Cup, However, he remained an integral part of Australia’s white ball setup, and had only a few weeks ago, contributed in an important role against South Africa.

ALSO SEE: Asia Cup 2025 Trophy Standoff: Mohsin Naqvi Holds Trophy in Dubai Hotel, BCCI Demands Immediate Handover

Philippe earns surprise recall

Selectors have named Josh Philippe, the wicketkeeper-batter for the Sydney Sixers, to replace the absent Maxwell. Philippe has not played for Australia since last December and has earned his recall after performing well on the recent Australia A tour of India, where he scored a century in the unofficial Tests.

While Abbotsford is a backup wicketkeeping option along with Carey, Philippe adds depth to the batting group. His international T20 record is not overly impressive to this point–150 runs in 12 innings at an average of 12.5. This series offers Philippe an outstanding chance to resurrect his T20I career and solidify a place for next year’s T20 World Cup.

Updated Australia squad for NZ T20Is

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matt Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Australian captain Pat Cummins has revealed that he wants to be part of all five Tests during the Ashes series at home, however, he admitted that his availability will become clearer in the coming weeks. The 32-year-old quick has not played since the tour of the Caribbean in June-July this year and is currently recovering from a 'lumbar bone stress' injury.

As a result, Cummins has been ruled out of Australia’s October white-ball assignments against New Zealand and India. Speaking on Friday, September 19, he revealed that his current focus is on gym sessions and rest to aid recovery. “There are no hard and fast plans yet. I’m still doing a bit of gym and keeping things kicking over, but with this kind of injury, it’s rest and then we’ll build back and kind of work back from the Ashes," he explained.

Despite the uncertainty, the Australian captain sounded optimistic about his progress. “Still really hopeful to be able to be part of the Ashes. But it is a little bit of a wait and see. At the moment, I’m feeling pretty good, so nothing’s changed from what it was a couple of weeks ago really," Cummins added.

Aiming for Five Tests but Keeping Options Open

Cummins reiterated that his initial goal remains to play the entire series. “The aim is five. Every summer, you kind of aim for five. This one might be a little bit different because you’re coming in a little bit different than other ones. But the starting aim is for five. Once we get closer, we’re probably going to chat through potentially more realistic situations. It’s honestly too far out to say. But the aim at the moment is to try and be ready for all of it," he said.

See Also: [WATCH] 'Tarikita Tarikita Dhom' – Shreya Ghoshal sings official song for Women’s World Cup 2025

The pacer further assured that he will only step onto the field if he feels physically ready. “I won’t go into a Test where I feel like I [will] break down or anything like that. I think if you’d asked me 10 years ago, I would have said I really feel like I need to play games. Now it’s centre wickets and net sessions. I’ve bowled a lot more overs. I feel like I can kind of get up to Test level pretty quickly," Cummins concluded. With the first Ashes Test scheduled at Perth Stadium from November 21, he has just over two months to get himself match-ready.

Australia have faced a massive challenge ahead of the home white-ball series against India at home and the following Ashes 2025/26 as their red-ball captain, Pat Cummins, has been ruled out of the white-ball series and is expected to be under the scanner for the England series after a scan revealed lumbar bone stress in his lower back. 

That means Cummins won’t play any cricket for Australia ahead of the Ashes, which start on November 21 in Perth. His bowling workloads are considered significant as he missed the five T20Is against West Indies and both white-ball series against the Proteas. Meanwhile, he has been cleared of any fracture in his lower spine.

See Also: [WATCH] Kid celebrates wicket in hilarious way as video goes viral

The New South Wales-pacer was out of the red-ball series due to stress fracture across the first six years of his international career and didn’t feature in a Test match between his debut in 2011 and his second Test in India in 2017. Since that time, he has faced various issues, including the hamstring issue and ankle injury.

Australia sweats over Pat Cummins’ injury status ahead of home Ashes 2025/26

In each of the three calendar years, Cummins had bowled 400-plus overs in cricket but had bowled only 175.1 overs in the nine months of 2025, with 95.1 overs coming across the four Tests in June and July against South Africa in June during the WTC final and the away West Indies series in the Caribbean. Even with a possible Shield game and the four Ashes, he isn’t expected to complete 400 overs by the end of this year.

“Cummins was rested from the recent T20 series against the West Indies and South Africa. Despite this planned de-load period, Cummins has experienced some ongoing lower back pain following the West Indies Test tour.” The Cricket Australia statement expressed.

“Further investigation has identified a level of lumbar bone stress that will require further management over the coming months. Cummins won't be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India and will continue his rehabilitation plan with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation.” The statement added.