Pat Cummins’ chances of featuring in next month’s Ashes series opener appear to be close to zero after Steve Smith revealed the Australian Test captain still hasn’t resumed bowling as he continues recovering from a back injury.

Last week, Cummins confirmed he was “unlikely” to play the first Test against England at Perth Stadium — which gets underway on November 21 — due to a lower back complaint that has plagued him since the West Indies tour.

Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Australian coach Andrew McDonald set a deadline of “four-and-a-half weeks” before the Perth Test for Cummins to be back bowling for any chance of him featuring in the Ashes opener.

And on Tuesday, which marks exactly one month before the first Test against England, Smith confirmed that Cummins still had

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