Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement 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 remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
