Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
