12 Jul, 2025 | 02:11 PM
Pat Cummins will be absent from Australia's white-ball series against South Africa next month as part of his preparation for the upcoming Ashes series later this year. The Australian captain, who has already been rested for the T20I series against the West Indies, will instead focus on fitness work and recovery in the lead-up to the home summer.
The T20I series against the West Indies, beginning on July 20, will also see Josh Hazlewood return home after the Test series in the Caribbean, with Xavier Bartlett named as his replacement. Hazlewood, however, will feature in Australia's white-ball fixtures against South Africa in Darwin, Cairns, and Mackay in August.
While Cummins will miss the series, he remains part of the plans for the 2025 Ashes and is aiming for a return to white-ball action in October for the T20I series in New Zealand and some limited-overs matches against India ahead of the Test series.
Cummins has been an integral part of Australia’s Test team, and with the Ashes series scheduled for late November, managing his workload is a priority. After a demanding Test series against India earlier this year, Cummins' body is in need of some recovery time.
In a statement, Cummins said, "My body feels pretty good, but there's always little bits and pieces you're always trying to get right. I’ll have a good training block for the next couple of months. Probably not bowling much, but a lot of gym work to build up for the summer."
The 30-year-old had previously been sidelined from the 2025 Champions Trophy due to an ankle injury sustained during the Test series, and his absence from the South Africa series will allow him to focus on his fitness and the road ahead.
"I’m looking at potentially playing the short T20I tour to New Zealand and some of the limited-overs games against India," Cummins continued. "There’s also the chance of a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales, which I didn’t play last season before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It’s all part of building up for the home summer."
In the absence of Hazlewood, Xavier Bartlett will take his place in the squad. Bartlett, who has impressed with his early T20I performances, having taken 11 wickets at an average of 14.72 from seven matches, will be expected to build on his solid start. Bartlett has been in outstanding form during his stint with the San Francisco Unicorns in the MLC 2025, where he has emerged as the tournament's leading wicket-taker, with 18 wickets in 11 innings.
Along with Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk has been called up as a late replacement for Spencer Johnson, who is nursing back soreness after a tough IPL campaign. Fraser-McGurk joins the squad after a solid performance with the bat in the MLC, having previously scored a top score of 50 for Australia in T20I cricket last year. Despite a challenging season in the IPL with Delhi Capitals and a lean BBL with Melbourne Renegades, Fraser-McGurk brings valuable depth to the Australian squad.
Cummins’ decision to rest from white-ball cricket will also give him an opportunity to focus on the domestic scene. There is a heightened emphasis on players like Cameron Green, Sam Konstas, and Usman Khawaja, who will be aiming to settle positions ahead of the Ashes series. Green, in particular, has the chance to build on his form in the West Indies before shifting focus to a potential return to bowling.
Konstas, fresh from his time with Australia A in India, is expected to feature in the Sheffield Shield this season, while Khawaja will look to regain his rhythm with Queensland after a lean patch in the Caribbean.
"The early stages of the Sheffield Shield are going to be critical," said Cummins. "If guys do well at Test level, it only helps their case for the Ashes squad. There’s a lot of cricket still to come."
With the Ashes only a few months away, the summer ahead will be crucial for many Australian cricketers. Following the series against South Africa, Australia will turn their attention to the T20Is against New Zealand and India, followed by the home summer’s marquee Test series against England.
Cummins, despite being absent from the South Africa series, will remain a key figure for Australia as they build towards one of the most anticipated Ashes series in recent memory.
