The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed 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 ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
