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Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.

Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.

Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.

"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.

"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

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

There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.

He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.

He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Alternative Arrangements

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.

The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.

Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."

"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.

"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Fixture Details

Australia vs England: The Ashes

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026