The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing 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 Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
