The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
