The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
