The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026