Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
