The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," 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 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
