MITCHELL JOHNSON: Scott Boland means Australia can cover the loss of Pat Cummins for the start of the Ashes

Pat Cummins missing the first Test of the Ashes is never the kind of news you want to hear leading into a summer like this.

When your captain and go-to quick is suddenly ruled out, it’s natural for people to panic — the media, the fans, even a few past players who can’t resist firing off a quick headline. That’s their job.

But having been there myself, I can tell you there’s more to this story than just ‘Cummins out’.

There’s a big difference between what’s called a back stress injury and a full-blown stress fracture. One can be managed with rest and controlled loading; the other needs time — sometimes a lot of it.

From what’s come out about where Pat’s at with his recovery — some light gym work and not yet bowling — it’s hard to see him right for the start of the series. But again, I’m not in that dressing room any more or around the medical team, so it’s all speculation.

What I do know is that a fast bowler’s back doesn’t lie. I remember the pain of my own four stress fractures early in my career. They aren’t niggles you can just “bowl through.” They change how you move, how you sleep, how you breathe. They test your patience more than your toughness.

Pat will know that feeling too — he had his first one at 18, the same age I was when mine hit. It’s a brutal introduction to the realities of fast bowling.

And the one thing you learn from that process is that you can’t rush it. You can push through muscle soreness. You can manage side strains. But you can’t cheat a spine that needs to heal.

Every bowler who’s gone through it knows the temptation — to bowl “just a few overs,” to test how it feels — but that’s often how setbacks happen and even then, you’re nervous once you get back into bowling, not wanting to push too hard or follow through in fear your back will go again. It’s also psychological.

Now, from a timing perspective, yes, it’s tough. The Ashes is the biggest series Australia plays, and every decision around player management gets magnified tenfold and there will be a mixture of emotions for Cummins.

But I think the Australian camp is handling this the right way. They have been doing everything possible behind the scenes and giving enough to the media and public for them to stay informed.

And of course, once the news breaks, you see the usual noise. A few ex-England players and commentators have already had their say, some almost giddy at the thought of Cummins missing out. But deep down, they know it too — Australia without Cummins is still Australia.

I disagree with the idea that we’re somehow not playing our best side without Cummins. Sure, you lose your captain and a world-class fast bowler.

But Scott Boland has been waiting in the wings for years now. He didn’t quite nail his first trip to England, but his home record — and the way he’s dismantled top orders on Australian pitches — shows exactly what he can do.

His bowling at the MCG and in that England series at home four years ago was devastating. Boland bowls heavy, straight, and doesn’t give you an inch. England know what’s coming if he’s picked – regardless of what Mike Atherton has to say.

And let’s not forget, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are still there.

For me, the focus shouldn’t be on who’s missing, but on how well Australia is positioned even with those setbacks. I’m not concerned that Cummins is missing the first Test.

And while his teammates will be gutted for him, they are professional and will be focused on the job at hand. No excuses.

The concern would come if Hazlewood, who has had his own injury troubles, or Starc were to go down as well. Then you’re looking at a potential gap in experience at the top level. That’s when you start asking whether the next cab off the rank can handle the heat.

We have some bowlers bowling well in Sheffield Shield cricket, but are they ready if needed to step up in a high-pressure series? But that’s a ‘what if’ for now.

Australia still have a world-class bowling unit, and the backbone of this side has been together long enough to handle moments like this. They’ve got the systems, the trust, and the skill to adapt. If anything, moments like this test your team’s character — and that’s something this group has plenty of.

As for Pat, I’ve got no doubt he will be doing everything right to get back out there. He’s been through this before. The medical team will know exactly what stage he’s at, and they’ll take no risks with him. And nor should they.

A stress fracture isn’t just an injury — it’s a reset. It forces you to slow down. For Pat, who’s carried the weight of captaincy, leadership, and expectation for years, maybe this is his body’s way of saying ‘take a breath’.

The Ashes will move on — it always does. But so will Pat Cummins. He’s built for the long haul, and once that back heals, he’ll be back leading from the front again.