The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
