Pat Cummins Poised for a Key Part in Ashes Series
The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
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