The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
