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The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.

There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.

Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.

"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," he commented.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."

Previous Setbacks

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026