Information suggests Cummins is going to play some part in the Ashes - McDonald

Pat Cummins will play some part during the Ashes this summer. And there's even an unlikely chance that he might don the captain's blazer for the first Test in Perth. This according to head coach Andrew McDonald who contradicted recent reports that ruled Cummins out for a large chunk of the Test summer. He also then revealed next Friday (October 17) to be the decisive day with regards to ascertaining whether Australia will have to go in for the Ashes opener without their inspirational leader.

"We are definitely running out of time around that. He's added some variables into his training and I'm hesitant to get involved in the medical discussion around it, but what I will say around it is that I think by this time next week we'll be in a position where we're better informed to make a judgement around what that first Test match looks like," said McDonald.

"He's had a positive week so we'll just wait for that information to come in. Anyone that knows the nature of those injuries, you do add the variables in and it's about how you recover from adding the variables into your training. It's not as quick as everyone thinks it is, so we look forward to a positive outcome next Friday."

McDonald also admitted having not delved into what it would look like for Australia if they'd have to go in without Cummins for the entirety of the Ashes. With the belief and confidence that the 32-year-old premier fast bowler will feature at some stage in the series, even if he does miss out a the start.

"The information and the week he's had would suggest he's going to play some part. Could that change with new information, when we had more variables to his training, could that go backwards? There is a possibility of that and for those that have had lumbar stress it's a journey to add those variables in, then recover, and it can ebb and flow a little bit across the rehab. At this stage, not thinking he'll be ruled out of the whole series," he explained.

A lumbar stress issue in the lower back, according to physios, is the kind where the fast bowler is able to go through rehab and gym work. The clarity in terms of them being Test-match ready though only comes to light once they've started bowling at full tilt, which in some cases could even take 8-10 months. Even if that is very unlikely to be the case with Cummins. Especially since McDonald and the medical staff are pleased with the progress that their main man's been making when it comes to what the scans on his back are showing.

"(If he isn't fit in time for the first Test)... then I think it'll be a week-by-week as we add in the variables and the biggest variable that we need to add in his bowling. If you looked at a reasonable time frame for Patty to get ready, we feel as though he can do a shortened prep unlike other bowlers that probably need a longer prep. To see if it is advantageous for us to get him up and running in a series and even if he's a little bit underdone and grow throughout the series as well," he said.

McDonald though is very aware of the challenges that might crop up in case Cummins is rushed in or if there's any kind of haste involved when it comes to his recovery and readiness to start bowling again. He also then reiterated how it would work differently with Cummins than most others, and how the process can be quicker.

"My understanding of the last scan was that it was improved. Then it's about the symptoms and then the resumption of the bowling, once we start to get up to top speed that's when we'll find out more and we can get to that potentially quicker than others with Patty," he said.

"That's probably the fear on a shortened prep - it is not necessarily the injury that he currently has that's taking into account all the other things that could go wrong in the soft tissue space and making sure that he's ready to deal with the demands of Test match cricket."

Cummins's absence will open the door to a number of suitors on the fringes, which will include Michael Neser, Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett and even the likes of young Fergus O'Neill. There is also an outside chance of the injured Jhye Richardson, who took a five-wicket haul during the last home Ashes which also happened to be his last Test, coming into the mix later in the series if his body does recover adequately.

Even if McDonald isn't looking at any contingency for Cummins being potentially absent for all five Tests, he did make it rather clear that Steve Smith will come in to take over as captain whenever the incumbent isn't around. As has been the case for a few years now, even going back four years when Smith took over for the second Test in Adelaide.

"That's highly likely that Steve would be the person that we turn to that obviously would have to go through the correct channels and George Bailey (chief selector) would have to tick that one off, but you would say in all likelihood that would be the direction that we head in based upon what we've done previously and Steve's incredibly experienced he's done a good job as recently as Sri Lanka when Pat wasn't on that tour so that's the person that we've turned to I don't see that changing."