Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
