The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
