The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable 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 extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
