Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
