The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear 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 batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
