Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
