The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned 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 initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
