Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
