Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
