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The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.

There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.

Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.

The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.

"We know that time is getting short and various factors at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."

Past Concerns

Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.

Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.

The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.

The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.

Contingency Plans

If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.

All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."

"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.

"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."

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