The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
