Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
