The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
