The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
