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Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.

There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.

He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.

"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.

"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.

Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.

He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.

Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.

"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."

Series Schedule

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026