MITCHELL JOHNSON: Steve Smith as captain makes sense but Aussies miss a chance to blood new leader

It’s now official — Pat Cummins will miss the first Test of the Ashes with a back injury.

It’s a blow, no doubt about it. When you lose your captain and one of the pieces of this quality bowling unit on the eve of a home Ashes, it changes the energy around the group.

But what I like is that Australia aren’t panicking. The message has been consistent — trust the system, trust the players — and for good reason. This bowling attack, even without Cummins, remains the heart of the Australian side.

These moments can have a psychological impact on teams and his bowling mates, but they are professional enough to manage, and the proof is when we’ve seen Josh Hazlewood out in recent times and the Aussies still performing at the highest level.

With Cummins out, Steve Smith steps back into the captaincy. It makes sense in this moment. Smith’s record as captain speaks for itself — he reads the game well, makes sharp tactical calls, and those who’ve played alongside him will tell you he has a genuine feel for the rhythm of a match. In an Ashes series, where momentum can swing by the over, that experience is invaluable.

But my view that Australia need to start looking past 36-year-old Smith as fill-in captain hasn’t changed.

The past is the past, but I do think Australian cricket has to keep thinking forward.

This would have been a good chance to give someone else a taste of leadership at Test level — with Smith there to guide them and a vice-captain alongside to learn. But that’s where we are light: experienced, ready-made leaders. You can only hand someone the reins if they’re playing consistently and earning their spot.

I do see potential in the system — Nathan McSweeney, for example, has the attributes of a natural captain. Composed, intelligent, and team-first in his approach. But he needs time in the team before those discussions can even start. For now, it’s Smith’s job again, and I understand why the selectors went that way.

What interests me most heading into this series is the way players are preparing. You look at Hazlewood — he’s played a few white-ball games before rolling back into the red-ball set-up. At first glance, you could say he needs more time with the longer format before the Ashes.

But when you think about his history with injuries, it’s actually a smart move. The selectors and medical team are clearly easing him in, controlling the loads, and letting him build rhythm without breaking down.

Bowlers and batters prepare differently — that’s just the nature of the game. A veteran bowler such as Hazlewood can rely on experience; he knows his body and backs his knowledge of those past experiences. A batter, on the other hand, often needs that time in the middle — long innings, time against the red ball, and the rhythm of multiple days of batting.

So while it might look like a split strategy, it’s actually quite a calculated one. In saying all that, a veteran batsman could also be in the same boat, but I generally found that batters need that time on their feet.

Even with Cummins out, Australia’s bowling remains the side’s backbone.

Starc and Hazlewood are proven match-winners. Scott Boland — who’s almost certainly next in line — is one of the most reliable red-ball bowlers in the country. He’ll give you relentless consistency, and in Australian conditions, that counts for plenty. And he has also dominated England in the past. Between those three, the attack still has balance, pace, and control.

Does Cummins’ absence change how I see this series? Not really. Australia, at home, still has the upper hand. What it does do is open a few questions — about leadership, about future planning, and about how this team adapts when its captain is watching from the sidelines.

And as for the selectors holding off on naming the full squad — I don’t mind it. Typically, you’d want that settled by now, but the reality is players are still staking their claims in the Sheffield Shield. I like that they’re waiting to reward form rather than reputation.

The Cummins news is a setback, but not a disaster. This side still has the core experience and quality to control a series on home soil. What they’ll need now is leadership — and whether you’re for or against Smith as captain, there’s no question he’ll bring plenty of that.