The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
