Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
