Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green 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 "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
