The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
