In a strategic move ahead of the highly anticipated 2025-26 Ashes series, Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins has opted out of the upcoming white-ball tour to South Africa, which includes a set of T20Is and ODIs in August. The decision is part of Cricket Australia’s long-term workload management plan as Cummins aims to be fully fit and firing for the Ashes series beginning November 21.
Why Cummins Is Skipping the South Africa Tour
Cummins, already rested for the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies, will now undergo a focused fitness block that includes recovery sessions, light bowling, and strength training. Speaking to media and Australian selectors, the 31-year-old stressed the importance of “gym-based work and long-form conditioning” to ensure his peak form returns in time for the home Ashes.
“I’ll have a good training block for the next couple of months, six weeks or so. Probably not bowling, but lots of gym work. [My] body feels pretty good, but there are always little bits and pieces you’re always trying to get right and then build up for the summer. So it’ll probably look like white-ball [cricket]…we’ve got some [matches against] New Zealand, India, potentially a Shield game and then into the home summer,” Cummins was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Ashes 2025-26: The Bigger Picture
The five-match Test series against England looms as a pivotal point in Cummins’s captaincy journey. Australia is keen to defend on home soil after retaining it in the 2023 series in England.
Start Date: November 21, 2025
Venue for First Test: The Gabba, Brisbane
Ashes Stakes: Retaining and cementing Cummins’ legacy as one of Australia’s finest Test captains
Given the physical and mental demands of the Ashes, Cummins and team management believe that sitting out the South Africa tour will give him the best chance to be in optimal condition for the marquee series.