Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
