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Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.

Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.

Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."

Previous Setbacks

He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.

Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.

Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.

The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026