Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
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