The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
