Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
