The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
