The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
