The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
