The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
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 final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear 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 initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
