The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. 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 adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
