Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups 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 recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
