Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
