Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
