Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
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