The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026