The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches 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's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
