The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. 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 lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
