The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
