Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
