Pat Cummins Poised for a Key Part in the Ashes
The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026