Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
