The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
