The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature 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 New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure 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 "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
