The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
