The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun 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, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
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