The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
