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The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.

There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.

The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.

"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.

He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.

He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.

The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026