Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
