Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
