The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
