The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
