Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
