The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
