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Australia's chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.

Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.

He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.

The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.

The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."

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The Historic Rivalry

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026