Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
