Australia's captain Expected to Feature a Significant Contribution in Iconic Rivalry
Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
