The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
