The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
