The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
