The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
