Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
