New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS) Former cricketer and coach Simon Katich opined that Scott Boland is the most probable replacement for the injured Australian skipper Pat Cummins in the Ashes opener after it was reported that the regular captain will miss the first Test in Perth on November 21 due to lower back stress.

Cummins is set to miss the Ashes opener in Perth, with the possibility that he may also miss the entire Test series against England, as scans have revealed that his back stress problem has not yet healed.

“Look, Scott Boland, I think, is the first man in if Cummins doesn’t play. I think there’s no doubt about that, but it’ll give it a great opportunity to some of these other young quicks around the country,” Katich said on SEN Afternoons.

Behind Boland, Katich is considering Queensland’s Michael Neser, who has often been next in line. At the same time, Victoria’s Fergus O’Neill is also a probable candidate after winning the 2024/25 Sheffield Shield player of the season.

“I mean, you can’t rule out Michael Neser, who’s obviously been brilliant for Queensland. Then there’s the young Victorian Fergus O’Neill who had a very good time over in England earlier in the year for Notts, and obviously he’s done well for the Vics over the last few years, he’s only 24 and has big raps on him,” he added.

Examining Australia’s pace depth further, Katich suggested that selectors might consider South Australia’s Henry Thornton, noting his similar style to Cummins.

“I reckon there might be a young kid from New South Wales who is now in South Australia who has just played recently for Australia A, if that’s any indicator of how the selectors might be thinking,” Katich explained.

“That’s Henry Thornton, he’s 28 now, but he’s still young in terms of being inexperienced. He’s only played seven first-class games, but he’s a wicket-taker, and that’s something they might be looking at because we know Pat Cummins cracks games open by taking wickets in bursts of two or three at a time.

“There are a few guys there that’ll probably be trying to put their hand up in the next month, to be next cab off the rank, but I think Scott Boland comes first in if he misses that first Test,” he said.

Cummins’ absence due to a back stress injury is a massive blow to Australia’s chances of retaining the Ashes urn, which they have held since 2018.

–IANS

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