Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026