Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned 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 all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
