The fast bowler Poised for a Major Role in the Ashes
The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026