Sydney, Oct 21 (IANS) With just a month before the start of the Ashes, veteran Australian batter Steve Smith provided an update on Pat Cummins, who is struggling with a stress fracture in his back. Smith said that the bowler has a few things to tick off before returning to his bowling and that he doesn’t need much preparation for the series.

Cummins, who has been battling a back injury that has prevented him from bowling since July, resumed running a couple of weeks ago after scans showed some improvement in the lower-back stress injury.

Cummins had earlier admitted he was less likely than likely to be fit for Perth and would require at least four weeks of bowling to be ready.

"I saw him out here the other day. He started his running and I was in here training as well. I think he obviously hasn’t started bowling yet, but he gets into things pretty quickly. He probably doesn’t need as much (preparation) as Josh (Hazlewood) or Starcy (Mitchell Starc)," Smith told the media.

“Things can turn around quickly, so we’ll see where everything lands with him.

“He’s obviously got a few things to tick off and get into his bowling, but he was in good spirits and the team’s obviously better with him in it for sure.

“Hopefully he can get right and if he plays three Tests or five Tests or two Tests … as many as we can get out of him, it’s the best for the team,” he added.

Since Cummins has yet to resume bowling, it is now highly likely he will miss the first Test in Perth, which begins in a month. Smith will lead Australia, with the stand-in skipper feeling more relaxed than he did when he was the full-time captain from 2013 to 2017.

"It's nothing out of the ordinary. I know how the team operates. We're in a good place. So if it happens, I'll look forward to it. I think the important thing is doing it my way. I think when I get out on the field, I've got a certain style and the way I like to do things and I need to be authentic. I think it's worked well when I've stood in over the last few years. It'll just be a seamless sort of transition if that comes around," Smith said.

--IANS

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