The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
