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Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.

There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.

Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.

Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.

"We know that the clock is ticking 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's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Previous Setbacks

He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.

He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side 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 "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Ashes: Australia v England

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026