Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
