The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
