Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
