Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
