The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
