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The Australian selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.

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

Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Perth.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.

"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.

"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.

He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.

Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.

Alternative Arrangements

If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.

Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."

"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.

"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026