Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss 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 Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
