The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
