Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
