Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026