The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
