The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
