Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
