The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
