The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
