Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally 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 recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
