The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature 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 participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
