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The Australian selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Perth.

Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.

"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.

He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.

The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.

"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Match Calendar

Australia vs England: The Ashes

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026