Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
