The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
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The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
