The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
