The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, 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 know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
