The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
