Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
