The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
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 comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
