🔗 Share this article The fast bowler Poised for a Major Role in the Ashes Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10. Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest. There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved. Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia. Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved. "We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added. "We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up." Injury History Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress. He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years. He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest. The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match. Backup Options Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy. All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side. The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs." "We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained. "His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy." Match Calendar The Historic Rivalry Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026