The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
