The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
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 India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
