Australia captain Pat Cummins officially ruled out of first Ashes Test

Cummins has only just returned to bowling in the nets after being diagnosed with a lumbar stress injury in September but will not be considered for the opening Ashes salvo that starts in Perth on 21 November.

Steve Smith lead Australia in the first Ashes Test with Cummins now hoping to be fully fit for the second game of the five-match series that starts in Brisbane on 4 December.

"We've run out of time," McDonald told reporters in Canberra. "We sort of flagged this a week or so ago that it would take sort of four plus weeks to get him up and running and we've run out of time, unfortunately, but really optimistic and hopeful for the second Test match.

"So I suppose the next question is what's the time frame? What does it look like for the second Test? Not really going to be able to answer that other than to say that he'll be back bowling this week and that's a huge step.

"That was the big variable that we wanted to add in and get that information. So we're on the journey to that second Test and very hopeful that that will be a positive outcome."

Scott Boland is likely join Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in Australia's pace attack with Nathan Lyon providing the specialist spinner role.

"Losing your captain's not ideal, but when you talk about Scott Boland being the potential replacement, it's not a bad position to be in," McDonald said.

"Ideally we want the captain available for stability and decision making but...Steve Smith will slide into that position.

"I suppose you get excited about when he does come back, what an injection that will be to the group, a fully fit Pat Cummins returning some stage during the Ashes and that's what we're hopeful for."

Australia's squad for the first Test is due to be named next week following the third round of domestic first-class matches which begins on Tuesday.