The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
