The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
