The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings 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
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
