The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"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," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
