The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature 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 developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
