The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated 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 squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
