The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
