The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
