The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series 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 November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, 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 be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
