Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
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