The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
