The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
