Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.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'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
