Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to 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."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
