Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
