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 have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
