The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated 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 be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
