The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
