The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
