The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector 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 sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned 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.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
