Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
