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Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.

Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.

Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.

"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.

"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.

There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.

Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.

Alternative Arrangements

If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.

Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."

"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."

Match Calendar

The Historic Rivalry

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026