The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
