The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed 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 four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
