Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates 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 the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process 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 recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test 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 another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
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