Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
