The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, 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 participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
