The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear 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 be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
