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Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.

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

Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.

He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.

Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.

He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

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

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.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 be ready to bowl."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."

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From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026