The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
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 regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
