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The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.

Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.

Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.

The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.

"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.

He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.

The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

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 first Test.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.

The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026