Pat Cummins Set to Play a Major Role in the Ashes
The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns 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 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
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