The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns 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 he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
