The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared 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.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
