Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
