Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
