The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
