Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, 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 initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
