Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
