The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder 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.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
