Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, 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.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
