Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
