The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared 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 physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
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 stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
