Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
