The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
