Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
