Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged 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.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
