The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
