The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
