The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
