Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
