Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026