Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad 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 mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
