The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
