🔗 Share this article The fast bowler Poised for a Key Part in Iconic Rivalry The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average. Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest. Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed. Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in the WACA. Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved. "It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," he commented. "We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up." Past Concerns He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back. Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years. He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes. The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener. Backup Options If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy. Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso. He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling." "Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained. "Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively." Match Calendar Australia vs England: The Ashes Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026