The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
