Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
