Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates 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 Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
