Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
