The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
