Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
