The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
