Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
