The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated 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 final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
