The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
