Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
