Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
