Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated 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 building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
