Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
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