The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
