Australia's chief selector says Steve Smith to lead in Ashes if Cummins fails to recover

Australia and England will face each other in the 2025–2026 Ashes series. On November 21, the eagerly anticipated series will begin. The main worry in the Australian dressing room is Pat Cummins' fitness, as the team prepares for the most important Test series in just over a month. 

Earlier, renowned all-rounder Pat Cummins suffered a back ailment that kept him off the pitch for four months when on tour in the West Indies for a three-match Test series. The three-match ODI series between Australia and India, which begins on Sunday, October 19, is also going tp be missed by Cummins. But according to a number of media speculations, Pat Cummins is probably going to return in the World Test Championship 2025–2027 five-match Test series against England.

However, with the current captain, Pat Cummins, still recovering from a back ailment, Australia may once again go to Steve Smith for captaincy duties in the forthcoming Ashes 2025–26 series. Smith will take over as captain if Cummins is unable to return to full fitness prior to the series's November 21 start in Perth, according to chief selector George Bailey.

“If Pat doesn’t play, Smudge (Smith) will captain. That’s business as usual for us. That formula has worked,” Bailey told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Regardless of whether he’s playing, Pat’s keen to be around because if he’s not playing, he’ll be rehabbing and getting ready and bowling, so he’ll be with the team anyway. So that information flow and working together as captain and vice-captain will remain the same.”

Smith arrived back in Australia from New York this week, and the day following his arrival, he began hitting the nets at Cricket New South Wales' headquarters. Smith will represent NSW in the next Sheffield Shield tournaments in Brisbane and Sydney.

Smith's overall Test victory percentage of 57.50 is just a little lower than Cummins' 62.16. When appointed, the latter was a surprising pick, but he proved to be a great leader. Smith, who has always been tactically astute, was also not trusted as one.

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