Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
