The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
