The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
