The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
