The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role 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 had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
