The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
