Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
