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The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.

He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.

"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.

The selector indicated 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 recover fully for the initial match.

Backup Options

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.

The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.

He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."

Match Calendar

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026