The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
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 bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
