Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
