The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
