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Healy: Massive void Cummins injury has exposed
SEN • October 9th, 2025 12:07 pm
The threat of Pat Cummins missing the entire Ashes series has exposed Australia’s lack of depth when it comes to replacement quicks being ready to step in.
The decade-long dominance of captain Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood - with the inclusion of Scott Boland from 2021 - means a generation of quicks has been skipped leaving selectors with numerous options should they need one in November, but with little to no experience.
That’s the view of Ian Healy who has urged selectors not to risk Cummins as he recovers from a stress fracture to his spine.
The Australian captain will not play the first Test in Perth, which gets started on November 21, amid fears he will not play at all through the five Tests.
“He will be a huge miss but do not risk Pat Cummins at all,” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.
“He’s a composed and absolutely consistent performer. He is our go-to when we need it and he gets the job done. He’s tolerant, calm and an empowering leader.
“Scotty Boland is going to be into the attack – he will be first in line but if we get an injury who else do we have?
“Michael Neser is in the conversation for any Test. I would like him to get a game.
“Then there’s the engaged teammate. He shares a beer, has a wine, great mates within the team.
“Starc, wicket-taker, (Nathan) Lyon real container, Hazlewood, never lets off. They can get the job done without Cummins.”
As Neser is 35, Corey Parker questioned if another elder statesman is really what was going to win Australia the Ashes.
It led Healy to list off the quick options available.
“Neser - if he's the best candidate we've got in the ranks, let's get him in. He’s the number one," he said.
“Then number two is a fellow called Fergus O'Neill, 38 wickets last year, in the Sheffield Shield. He's an outstanding competitor.
“Number three, Xavier Bartlett – a young up and comer, being tried at every level, Australia A, one-dayers, four-dayers and doing very well.
“Jordan Buckingham and then Brendan Doggett.
“I would say we haven't got a whole lot of depth but there's some young men coming through.
“The depth will be building because we've had these four bowlers together for 10 years.
“There's been a whole generation skipped over. With the youngsters you try to get as much cricket into them as you possibly can but they're a bit vulnerable to injury and then they have to take a double step up.”
The first Test between Australia and England kicks off on November 21 in Perth. You can hear all of the action LIVE on SEN Cricket across the SEN network.
