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Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.

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

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.

"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."

Previous Setbacks

The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.

He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.

Contingency Plans

Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026