The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
