The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
