Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned 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 be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
