The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
