Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
