The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
