Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck 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 recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
