The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences 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 recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
