Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
