The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron 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.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
