The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not only his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
