Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
