Australian selectors will be required to call on fast-bowling reinforcements with captain Pat Cummins set to miss at least the start of the upcoming Ashes series.

In early September, Cricket Australia confirmed that Cummins was nursing a hot spot in his back which, after fresh scans, will keep him sidelined for November’s Ashes opener in Perth.

According to The Daily Telegraph and SMH , there are also fears he could sit out all five Tests and hand over captaincy to Steve Smith, with his back concerns not clearing up enough to take the field.

With Cummins now unavailable, Scott Boland is expected fill in as Australia’s third quick alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

But the hosts would almost certainly need to add an additional fast bowler to the squad as injury cover — sp

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