The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
