Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
