The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed 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 flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
