The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
