Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
