The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally 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 multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"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," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
