Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
