Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
