Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
