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The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.

"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.

"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.

He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

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

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

Match Calendar

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026