The chances of Pat Cummins being fit for the first Ashes Test are growing slimmer by the day as he is yet to be cleared to bowl with just over six weeks to go before the first ball of the series in Perth.

News Limited and Nine newspapers reported on Wednesday that Cummins' latest scan on the lumbar bone stress issue in his lower back had shown signs of improvement but not enough to be cleared to bowl again.

Cricket Australia have not provided a comment but it is understood that Cummins remains in rehab and no decisions have been made on when the skipper will return to bowl, his participation in the first Test or the Ashes series as a whole.

Cummins has not bowled a ball since Australia's last Test match in Jamaica in July. Shortly after the lumbar issue was revealed in early Sept

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