Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed 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, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
