The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
