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Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.

There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.

He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.

"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.

"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.

There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.

"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."

Match Calendar

The Historic Rivalry

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026