Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
