Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
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