Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated 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 first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
