The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
