The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
