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Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.

Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.

Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.

"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.

"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

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

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.

Alternative Arrangements

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

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.

The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.

"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."

Match Calendar

Australia vs England: The Ashes

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026