The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared 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 batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
