Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
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 limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
