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The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.

Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.

Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.

"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.

He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.

Contingency Plans

In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."

"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."

Match Calendar

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026