The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated 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 had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
