🔗 Share this article Pat Cummins Poised for a Significant Contribution in Iconic Rivalry Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10. The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest. There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him. Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA. Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved. "We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added. "The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess." Injury History The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress. There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years. He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series. Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener. Alternative Arrangements If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side. Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side. Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling." "We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed. "He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, 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