The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
