The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process 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 rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
