Australia’s ODI captain Pat Cummins will be ruled out of the upcoming white-ball series of the India tour, which marks the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in action.

Cricket Australia has confirmed that Cummins will be missing the tour of New Zealand and India due to a lower-back injury. The development comes before the CA announced the Australia squad for the New Zealand tour.

The development means Pat Cummins will miss the much-anticipated comeback series of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in India’s white-ball side.

Australia’s preparation for the Ashes defense against England has taken a significant hit after Cummins’ lower-back flare-up.

The side is scheduled to tour New Zealand for three T20Is in early October, before India travel down under for three ODIs and five T20Is. England will then arrive at the end of the year for the marquee Ashes series.

“Cummins won’t be considered for the upcoming limited-overs series against India (or New Zealand) and will continue his rehabilitation plan with a return to bowling to be determined as part of his Ashes preparation,” read CA’s statement.

Pat Cummins suffered back pain after bowling 95.1 overs in four tests in the UK and the Caribbean – three against West Indies and one against South Africa during the World Test Championship final.

The medical scans revealed ‘a level of lumbar bone stress’ that CA says ‘will require further management’ in the lead-up to the Ashes.

Importantly, the injury has not been labelled a ‘stress fracture’, but medical staff must determine where his back can withstand an Ashes campaign that features five tests in seven weeks.

Pat Cummins has already missed the Champions Trophy 2025, recent white-ball series in the Caribbean and Northern Australia with the aim of replicating the mini-pre-season that had served him well ahead of last summer’s home tests against India.

“There always was a de-load planned for him post that West Indies Test series, and then he’s just reported that he had a little bit of ongoing back soreness as part of that, and (the scan) just identified a little bit of lumbar bone stress,” chair of selectors George Bailey said.

“I think the focus for him has and will continue to be just preparation for that (Ashes) Test series. So there’ll just be some further management and a little bit of rehab around that. But in terms of plan for the Ashes, I don’t think too much will change,” added Bailey

“There still feels like there’s plenty of time. But there’s full expectation that Pat will be right to go come the first Test,” said George Bailey.