The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not just his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
