The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
