Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps 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 Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
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The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
