The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
