Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
