Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
