Australia's captain Set to Play a Major Role in the Ashes
Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
