The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
