Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable 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 his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out 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 spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
