The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026