Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
