Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026