The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated 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 building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
