The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
