Australia coach Mickey Arthur has revealed that captain Michael Clarke could return to action in Wednesday's Ashes warm-up match against Somerset at Taunton.
Clarke has been having treatment on a back problem that kept him out of Australia's ICC Champions Trophy campaign.
However, Arthur believes that Clarke will be fit enough to face England this summer.
"He's getting better every day. He's doing a massive amount of work at the moment," Sky Sports News quotes Arthur as saying.
"He's training the house down in terms of getting his back right. We are hoping that he'll start against Somerset in Taunton on Wednesday. He's such an influential leader.
"He oozes authority so it has been a little bit disjointed through the Champions Trophy not having 'Pup' play, not only because he is our best batter but because of his leadership as well."
The first Ashes Test begins at Trent Bridge on July 10.
