Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that pace spearhead 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 stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" 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 recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
