Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
