Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
