The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
