Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned 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 developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
