🔗 Share this article Australia's captain Set to Play a Significant Contribution in the Ashes Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average. Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry. Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved. Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia. Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved. "It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked. "It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess." Past Concerns The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue. He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period. The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes. The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener. Contingency Plans Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy. The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso. Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs." "Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained. "Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy." Fixture Details Australia vs England: The Ashes 21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026