The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
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."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
