Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
