The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
