The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned 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," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
