The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
