Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
