The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
