The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
