Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
