The fast bowler Poised for a Significant Contribution in Ashes Series

The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.

There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.

"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."

Injury History

The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.

There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.

The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.

The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Match Calendar

The Ashes: Australia v England

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026