Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.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 resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
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