The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
