The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
