The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
