Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
