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The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.

Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.

Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.

"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons 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 make the squad for the series.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."

"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026