The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
