Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
