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Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.

Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.

Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.

"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."

Previous Setbacks

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.

He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026