The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
