Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
