The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
