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The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.

Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series 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 his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.

"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."

Previous Setbacks

The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.

There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.

Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."

"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."

Series Schedule

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026