Pat Cummins has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" 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 comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
