The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
