Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
