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Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.

He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.

"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.

He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.

The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026