The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
