The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
