Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
