The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
