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Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.

Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.

He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.

The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.

He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

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

Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series 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 he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

Series Schedule

The Historic Rivalry

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026