The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
