The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
