Pat Cummins Expected to Feature a Major Role in Ashes Series

Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.

Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.

Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.

He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.

"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.

Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026