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Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.

There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.

The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.

"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Match Calendar

The Historic Rivalry

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026