The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
