The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature 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 opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
