Australia captain Pat Cummins to miss NZ T20s to protect Ashes prep

Australia captain Pat Cummins will miss the three-match Twenty20 international tour of New Zealand next month as Cricket Australia moves to manage his workload ahead of the home Ashes series, officials said. The T20 series is scheduled to start on October 1 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, and Cummins has been stood down from the squad while undergoing precautionary scans on his lower back after reporting stiffness following the recent Caribbean tour.

Cummins, 32, did not bowl in the second innings of the third Test in the West Indies in July and has been in a deload phase since returning, continuing gym work while limiting his bowling. He underwent imaging in Sydney on Monday, with results forwarded to Cricket Australia medical staff for review. Consultation is expected to involve the national medical team, including the chief medical officer, the team doctor and senior physiotherapy staff, and could determine how many of the remaining lead-up white-ball fixtures he will miss.

Reports and team planning indicate the decision is part of a deliberate strategy to preserve Cummins for a packed Australian summer that culminates with the five-Test Ashes series in Perth beginning in...