Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
