Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series 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 recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
