Pat Cummins ruled out of Indian Premier League with back injury
The fast bowler was hurt in the fourth Test against South Africa.
Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a back injury.
The 24-year-old was signed for the Mumbai Indians for the Twenty20 tournament which started at the weekend.
But he suffered soreness during the fourth Test in South Africa and scans revealed a bone oedema in his vertebrae.
Team physiotherapist David Beakley said: “It is important that Pat has time off bowling, to prevent the injury becoming more serious and consequently we have made the decision to rule Pat out of the IPL.”
Cummins was bought by the three-time IPL champions for around 830,000 US dollars (£590,000) at the auction in January having previously played for the Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders.
He was one of the rare pieces of good news to emerge from Australia’s scandal-hit tour of South Africa, taking 22 wickets at an average of 21.45 with a best of five for 83.
In the final Test in Sydney, Cummings had 24 with the bat from 16 balls, and took four for 39 as the tourists went down by an innings and 123 runs, earning a Man of the Match award.
“Following this we will be in a better position to decide on Pat’s return to play timeline including participation in the limited overs tour of the UK.”
Australia will tour England in June in a five-match ODI series starting at the Oval and finishing at Old Trafford followed by a Twenty20 match at Edgbaston.
