Pat Cummins Set to Play a Key Part in Iconic Rivalry
Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
