The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
