The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
