Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned 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," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
