Pat Cummins Expected to Feature a Key Part in the Ashes
The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable 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 his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
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