Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
