Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
