Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
