The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury 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 all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
