The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups 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 proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
