Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
