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The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.

Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.

Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.

"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Injury History

The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.

He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.

Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness 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All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."

"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.

"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

The Ashes: Australia v England

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026