The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
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The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
