The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
