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Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.

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

Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in the WACA.

He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.

"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.

"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.

The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.

He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.

The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

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

"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

Australia vs England: The Ashes

From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026