The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature 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 initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
