The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
