The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
