Australia's captain Expected to Feature a Key Part in the Ashes
The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
