Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
