The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
