The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not just his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
