The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
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.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear 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 participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
