The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
