Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
