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Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.

There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.

He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.

"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.

He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.

The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."

Series Schedule

Australia vs England: The Ashes

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026