The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation 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.
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Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned 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 developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
