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Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.

Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.

Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.

Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.

"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.

"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Previous Setbacks

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

He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.

The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Backup Options

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.

"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."

Match Calendar

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026