Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
