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

Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.

Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.

"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.

"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.

He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.

He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Backup Options

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."

"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

Match Calendar

The Historic Rivalry

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026