The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
