Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. 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
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
