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The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.

Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.

Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.

"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.

The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.

The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.

Contingency Plans

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.

Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.

He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."

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