The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
