The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
