The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper 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.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
