Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
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 Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
