Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
