Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue 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 developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
