The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
