Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted 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 initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.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 "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
