Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
