Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
