The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
