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The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.

There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.

Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.

"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.

"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.

The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.

"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026