The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play 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 take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
