The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately 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 Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"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 another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
