The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
