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The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.

Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.

"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.

Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026