The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
