Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
