The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned 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 all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
