Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
