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The Australian selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.

Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.

"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.

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 recover fully for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

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

Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.

He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026