Australia's captain Expected to Feature a Major Role in Ashes Series
The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026