Injured Pat Cummins ruled out of IPL

Bengaluru, April 10: In a blow to the Mumbai Indians, Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the IPL with a back issue, a release from Cricket Australia confirmed.

Cummins missed the opening match of the IPL, a narrow one-wicket defeat to the Chennai Super Kings.

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The CA in its release said the 24-year-old has "bone oedema in his vertebrae" - in other words, swelling in the joint, which is not the more serious stress fracture.

CA's Team Physiotherapist, David Beakley said: "Pat experienced some back soreness during the fourth Test in South Africa. Follow-up scans have confirmed that he has bone oedema in his vertebrae.

"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.

"Pat will now undergo a period of recovery and rehabilitation and we will look to re-scan him in a few weeks to assess the healing.

"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."

The 24-year-old has played 13 consecutive Tests for Australia since being brought back into the team on the India tour a year ago. He has bowled 447.5 overs across all formats since the start of the last Australian summer.

The latest issue places him in doubt for Australia's next international series, a five-match ODI series and one-off T20 against England in June, with a T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe also featuring Pakistan set to follow.

His participation in that tour will become clearer following re-scans scheduled for later this month. A squad for the series against England has yet to be named.

Cummins joins Mitchell Starc in being ruled out of the IPL, with the left-arm spearhead suffering from a leg injury that kept him out of the Johannesburg Test match.