The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
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