Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
