Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach 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 comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
