The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
