The fast bowler Set to Play a Significant Contribution in Iconic Rivalry

The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.

There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.

"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.

"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.

He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.

Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

Australia vs England: The Ashes

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026