The Ashes war of attrition began unofficially on Wednesday, nine days out from the first Test, as Pat Cummins found himself fielding questions about injuries that weren’t his for a change.

Cummins was driving from his Southern Highlands hobby farm to Sydney when news filtered through that Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott had left the SCG during NSW’s Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria to be assessed for hamstring concerns.

By the time Australia’s captain had finished his own physio session – part of his bid to be fit for the second Test in Brisbane – he walked into a potentially summer-defining situation with Blues officials.

“There was a bit happening for an hour or so,” Cummins said a short time later at a Cricket Australia event at the Sofitel Sydney, where CA announced a new partner

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