Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear 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.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
