The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
