The Ashes Build up : The Optus Perth Stadium

Maybe Australia can afford to miss Cummins here?

Since 2018, Optus Stadium in Perth has hosted 5 Tests. Australia have won 4 and lost 1 — that loss coming against India by 295 runs. After India were bowled out cheaply in the first innings, Jasprit Bumrah’s spell flipped the Test, and India’s batting in the second innings took the game away.

Cummins looks set to miss the first Ashes Test. That’s a big absence — but if there’s one venue Australia can handle it, it’s Perth. His record here: 15 wickets at 26.33 and a strike rate of 62.26 in 5 matches. Compare that to Hazlewood (16 wickets at 19.62, SR 52.37), Starc (26 wickets at 21.61, SR 43.61), and Lyon (29 wickets at 20.86, SR 47.89) — all across the same number of Tests. Here, the others have historically carried more of the load.