Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
