Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
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