Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
