The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
