Pat Cummins has secured 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 the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed 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 recurrences 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 comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
