Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
