The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
