The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of 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 series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
