🔗 Share this article

The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable 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 his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.

"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Previous Setbacks

The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.

Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Backup Options

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.

The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play 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 participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026