π Share this article Pat Cummins Poised for a Key Part in the Ashes Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average. The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry. Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed. Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia. He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating. "It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added. "It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess." Past Concerns Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress. He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span. The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest. He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener. Backup Options Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side. Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side. Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling." "We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed. "He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route." Fixture Details The Historic Rivalry Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026