Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
