Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts 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 rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
