The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
