The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
