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

Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.

Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.

"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.

"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.

Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.

He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.

Contingency Plans

In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.

The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup 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 confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."

Series Schedule

The Historic Rivalry

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026