The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
