The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"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," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
