The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
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.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
