Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
