The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
