The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
