The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
