England vice-captain Harry Brook has declared that Pat Cummins’ injury setback “plays into England’s hands” as it appears increasingly unlikely the Australian Test captain will recover before the Ashes opener.

Cummins has not played since July due to lumbar bone stress in his back, with Australian coach Andrew McDonald confessing he was in a race against the clock ahead of the blockbuster series against England, which commences next month.

Brook, who will lead England in this month’s white-ball tour of New Zealand, argued that Cummins’ absence would come as a massive boost for the tourists, who are hoping to win the coveted Ashes urn for the first time in over a decade.

“He is an amazing bowler and has been for many years,” Brook said at Thursday’s PCA awards ceremony.

“He bowls at high pace, with high skill. With him out of their side for the first game, from what we’ve seen, hopefully that plays into our hands.”

Watch live coverage of the 2025 Marsh One Day Cup on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1 >

However, Brook conceded that Australia has plenty of capable replacements that could fill Cummins’ shoes, most notably seamer Scott Boland, who claimed career-best figures of 6-7 on Test debut during the 2021 Ashes contest at the MCG.

“They have a hell of a lot of good, quick bowlers out there. Guys who can come into the side and, when their tails are up, they can plough through teams,” Brook continued.

“We can’t take anybody lightly.”

Pat Cummins and Scott Boland. Photo by Randy Brooks / AFPSource: AFP

Brook, about to embark on his first Ashes tour of Australia, boasts a superb record in away Tests, averaging 80.00 across 11 matches with an otherworldly strike rate of 95.89. Seven of his ten Test hundreds occurred outside of the United Kingdom.

However, the 26-year-old has limited experience in Australian conditions, playing nine T20Is in 2022 when he contributed 69 runs at 9.85.

“I don’t know what I’m stepping into,” Brook said of the upcoming Ashes campaign.

“I know it’s a massive thing, but I’m still trying to get over that India series. That was awesome to be part of: to play 25 days out of 25 was mega. That was the most intense series I’ve ever been part of. If the Ashes tops that, I will be a very happy man.

“It is obviously intense. I can’t even remember much about the 2023 Ashes, if I’m honest. It’s a very similar group of players that we’ll come up against: a very strong bowling attack and on home soil they’ll present different challenges. I haven’t had too much experience of the pitches out there, so I have to stay in the moment as much as possible and play what’s in front of me.”

During the 2023 Ashes, which ended as a 2-2 stalemate, Brook accumulated 363 runs at 40.33 with four fifties – but he’s still searching for his maiden Test hundred against Australia.

“That’s not something I really think about,” he said.

“I want to be a match-winner. If the team is in a little bit of trouble, I want to get us out of it, which so far in my career I’ve done fairly well. If that’s getting 75 and getting us out of trouble for a little while and gets the team into a better position, I’d rather that than get a hundred and lose the game.”

Harry Brook of England. Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Injury-prone England captain Ben Stokes is currently recovering from a shoulder complaint, but the all-rounder is expected to be available for the first Test against Australia at Perth Stadium, which starts on November 21.

Brook would be tasked with leading England should Stokes be unavailable at any stage during the Ashes.

“I think he’ll power through even if he has a little niggle,” Brook said of Stokes.

“I have full faith that he is going to be there. Everybody in the world knows what he’s like, his character and the way that he just cracks on.

“Obviously, being captain would be a massive honour. But I would much rather Stokesy played five Test matches; he’s such a vital part of our team, batting at number six and bowling the overs that he does. For him to play all five Tests would be awesome for us.”