The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
