The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" 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 rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
