Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India 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 deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
