The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
