Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated 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 he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play 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 take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
