The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
