Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
