The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
