The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
