The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
