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The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.

Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.

He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.

"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Injury History

He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.

Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.

He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.

The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.

Contingency Plans

Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."

Match Calendar

Australia vs England: The Ashes

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026