Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
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.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. 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."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
