Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
