The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described 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 be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
