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Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.

Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.

"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Previous Setbacks

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.

Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.

Backup Options

If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.

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

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026