The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
