The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed 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 first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
