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Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.

There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.

Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.

The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.

"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.

He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.

He mentioned that he did not know 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 opener.

Alternative Arrangements

Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026