The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.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 "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
