The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
