Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
