🔗 Share this article The fast bowler Poised for a Significant Contribution in the Ashes The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average. The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest. Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved. Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth. The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating. "We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented. "The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust." Previous Setbacks He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back. He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span. Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest. The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test. Alternative Arrangements In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side. Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso. The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs." "Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed. "His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy." Match Calendar The Historic Rivalry From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026