The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
