The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
