The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins 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 his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
