The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
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The Historic Rivalry
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