The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
