The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, 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 lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
