The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
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