The fast bowler Poised for a Major Role in Ashes Series
The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
