The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey 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 sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
