Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
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