The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
