Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
