The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026