The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off 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 around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
