Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
