The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
