The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian 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 miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out 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 back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
