The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
