The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure 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.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
