Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
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.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned 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 recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
