The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy 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 rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move 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 "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
