The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants 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 Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
