Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp 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 was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
