The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
