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Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.

Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.

"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.

"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Previous Setbacks

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."

"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

Australia vs England: The Ashes

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026