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The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."

Previous Setbacks

The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.

The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.

Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Backup Options

In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"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 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026