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Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.

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

Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.

He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.

"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Previous Setbacks

Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."

"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026