The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
