The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026