The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup 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'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
