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The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.

Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

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.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.

"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."

Injury History

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.

There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.

He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.

He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Contingency Plans

In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.

Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."

"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."

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