Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
