The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
