The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
