Australia's captain Set to Play a Major Role in Ashes Series

Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.

He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.

"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.

"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Previous Setbacks

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.

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

The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature 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 be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."

Match Calendar

The Ashes: Australia v England

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026