'Godfather' Lillee warns 'injured' Cummins not to rush back on pitch to avoid 'tempting fate'

Australian pace legend Dennis Lillee has said he believes that young fast bowler Pat Cummins should abandon his plan to return ahead of schedule from his latest stress fracture in order to avoid tempting fate.

Cummins was sent home from Australia A's tour of southern Africa because of the injury to his lower back during the off-season with Cricket Australia's chief medical officer Justin Paolini saying he was expected to be sidelined for a third consecutive domestic summer, or at least most of it.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, although Cummins is hoping to make a return to Test cricket soon, however, Lillee, the godfather of Australia's fast bowling fraternity, said that he would prefer if Cummins, whom he mentors, played it safe as he is in a rehabilitation stage.

Lillee further said that Cummins had tried to overwork when he played in any big match, which put pressure on his back, adding that he needs to have a good break from playing and look at bowling some time later in the new season.

Lillee had been advising Cummins to follow the program renowned sports scientist Frank Pyke created for him in 1973 when his career was threatened by stress fractures, the report added.