The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
