🔗 Share this article Pat Cummins Poised for a Key Part in Iconic Rivalry Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10. Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry. Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed. Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia. Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating. "It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added. "The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust." Injury History Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue. There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years. The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes. He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test. Alternative Arrangements Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership. The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue. The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl." "Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed. "He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively." Series Schedule The Historic Rivalry From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026