The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
