Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
