The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed 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 around that, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
