The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
