Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
