Pat Cummins Poised for a Key Part in Ashes Series
The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated 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 developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
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