Pat Cummins has officially been ruled out of the first Ashes Test in Perth due to his back injury.

Steven Smith will captain Australia in the opening Test against England which begins on November 21. The second Test in Brisbane begins on December 4 which may also prove a race against time for Cummins.

Cummins' absence had been widely expected since the news emerged earlier this month that he had not been able to return to bowling after being diagnosed with a lumbar stress injury in September having experienced discomfort after returning from the tour of West Indies.

He has since resumed running and a Cricket Australia statement on Monday said he "expects to return to bowling shortly."

A couple of weeks ago Cummins himself admitted the timeline to be ready for the first Test would lik

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