Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player 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 mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
