The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck 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 last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, 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 batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
