Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
