The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
