Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey 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 stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"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, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
