The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play 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 first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
