Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear 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 take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
