The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
