The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
