The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
