The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play 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 building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
