Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
